The Blackest Night
by foolishangel87
Summary: Eric Northman had searched the world for the most intoxicating blood imaginable. But after 1,000 years, he was still not satisfied with any human and remained alone. And then suddenly, there she was. In front of his eyes the whole time.Eric Northman/O.C
1. The Beginning

**Chapter 1 The Beginning **

**"Death can't find you if you choose to hide in the realm of living life. Because Death is like the monster that hides in the dark and ceases to exist once you step into the light."-by Me**

* * *

_It was too late. Death had found me. But I guess__ it always had. I suppose it was inevitable._

_As I stood there in the cool night air and felt the wind blow my hair around my face, I thought about the events that had led me here to this point in time. I never once expected things to change the way they had. But then again, I didn't expect a lot of things to happen. They just did. It's just what was. It was the direction my life had taken and I was powerless to stop it. I had to take things as they came at me. It's what I was taught to do. And it's what I was going to do. I was always the more practical one in the family. At least, that's how my cousin saw it. And she was hardly ever wrong._

_Sookie. My blond hair, blue eyed cousin who was more like my sister then just another relative. We were bonded together by more then just our tragic childhoods. Although that played a part in bringing us closer to each other. When her parents died, my parents who had been the closest to them, hadn't been able to deal with their grief. And 8 months after the flood that had claimed the lives of my aunt and uncle, my parents took their own lives and ended their sadness in a bloody, downward spiral. Leaving me to the care of my grandmother, and the company of my cousins Sookie and Jason. And that's how Sookie and I grew to be the best of friends and became connected to one another for life. But as I said before, we were bonded by more then just family tragedy. In fact,we were bonded by the very thing that made us different from everyone else around us. The fact that we could hear the thoughts and memories of the people around us._

_We never really discussed it much as we grew up and went through adolescence and adulthood. It was just something that was a part of each of us and that's how we saw it. It was never unnatural between her and I and we never thought it was a scary thing. To the outside world, Sookie and I were freaks and a lot of people looked at us as if they were terrified and they probably were. Our fellow residents of small town of Bon Temps had never really seen much that was out of the ordinary from their everyday lives. At least not until it was known about our ability. And it wasn't until years after that, that things got turned upside down __and our friends and neighbors had more to worry about then just two telepathic young women. _

_It seemed like ever since Vampires had made their presence known, supernatural creatures had been coming out of the woodwork like termites. Vampires, werewolves and shifters all seemed to have a claim in this world. And it seemed like reality just wasn't in the cards anymore. Anything seemed possible and in certain situations, that wasn't a good thing. And there had been plenty of bad over the past few years. Murders sprung up a lot more in recent memory then in the past, including the death of my grandmother and the emergence of long held secrets about the people around me. For instance, the background about Sookie and I's boss Sam Merlotte. No one else knew about him being a shifter besides me and her and he preferred to keep it that way. He didn't want anyone else in town to know the truth since he cared too much about what people thought, despite the fact that he denied it. Sookie, on the other hand, was the complete opposite when it came to her relationship with Bill Compton. She never tried to hide the fact that she was in love with a vampire and instead put it right out there in the open for the people of our town to comment on and comment they did. She was constantly being told how stupid and naïve she was being for getting involved with a vampire that could possibly kill her. And despite all the insults that were thrown her way, Sookie took it in stride and ignored it all. She had complete trust in Bill and never doubted that she was safe when she was with him. And after spending time with him myself, I felt the same way. It was good to see my cousin so sure of her relationship, even if it was with a vampire. I had never really known that kind of faith before. _

_At least not until I met "him"._

_After seeing all the death and destruction going on around me from vampires and werewolves, I was quite ready for life to go back to normal. But I quickly discovered that normal living wasn't an option for me and the past year proved just that. It was another thing I had to get used to. And there were times I wished that I could be like everyone else. But eventually I had to embrace my destiny and the idea that I just wasn't like the people around me. And I wasn't meant to live like others. Some people were meant to live ordinary lives and never get involved in supernatural forces. I, however was meant to encounter death, in it's most seductive form. _

_And that's how it led me here to this night, where the sky was pitch black and __the stars were no where to be seen. The air was cool and the breeze was refreshing when it blew across my body and rippled my clothes and hair. I sighed and stared at the trees surrounding me, feeling the exhaustion catch up with me from the chaos the last few weeks had brought. I just wanted to fall asleep and not wake up until all this was over and done with. But the truth was that it would never be over. Not entirely. And that was a reality that I had to accept whether I was ready to or not._

_"This is one of the times I wish I possessed your ability to read minds." A husky voice spoke from behind me. I didn't even have to turn around to know it was him, I just felt his presence and knew who it was. And it was a relief to know he was still there with me. I felt a coolness spread over the skin of my hand and looked down to see that he had twisted his long, nimble fingers around my own, locking our hands together. I then looked up at him and felt myself relax under his gaze._

_"It wouldn't matter if you could. You have no power over me." I reminded him and there was the tiniest hints of a smile on the face of the ever confident Eric Northman. _

_"That may be true, but it doesn't stop me from wishing it were a possibility." He responded, a far away look in his eyes. He turned his head to look around at the woods surrounding us and he too sighed. "These last few weeks have brought a lot of chaos."_

_"Yea, they certainly have." I agreed quietly, feeling a heaviness settle over me at the thought of all that had happened. He had to have felt that because I felt his cold hand squeeze mine slightly. I returned my focus to his face and asked, "Will things ever be ok?"_

_"No. They won't. Things will always be tough." He told me simply, in the no nonsense way that he always talked in. He then looked down at me from his great height and reached his other hand up to brush my hair back over my shoulder so my neck was exposed. He stroked the skin that covered the main vein that ran through my neck and his fingers touched on the scars that were not made by him. His eyes then met mine and he smirked as if it were no big thing. "Look at it this way. It's only life."_

_"Only life." I repeated, not knowing if I believed those words but it was __obvious that Eric did. And maybe one day, I would believe it too._

**a/n**_**: **_**so i know i should be writting**** another fic...but after watching true blood last night, i had so much inspiration that i had to move forward with it...hope everyone likes it**

**And just to clarify...this is a story about Eric and a new character...**


	2. First Hit

**Chapter 2 First Hit**

I remember the day I met Eric Northman very clearly...

* * *

It had started like any other day. Nothing had stood out to warn me that it was going to be unusual. Except it would turn out to be anything but ordinary. I just didn't know it. I woke up early before Sookie and Tara did and I went out to do my usual errands that I had to do every week. I enjoyed this time of the day the most. It was when the night was just fading into the day and things were calm and soothing before all the residents came out to start their day. I loved driving down the roads under the over hanging trees and feeling the early morning chill against my skin before it had a chance to get too warm. It gave me a sense of peace and living in Bon Temps with all this craziness going on, a girl needed to find peace where ever she could. And once I was finished picking up my dry cleaning and mailing off some bills, I headed back to the house. It wasn't until I had stepped back into the quietness of my room, that I felt the sleepiness take over me and I wound up falling back asleep, vowing only to nap for an hour at least. But by the feel of heaviness lingering on my eyelids, I knew that wasn't going to be the case and I was soon deep asleep, unaware that half the day was gone.

"Sam's going to kill you if you're late for work again Allison." Sookie's voice startled me out of my deep slumber, so much that I actually fell out of bed and landed on the floor with the sheets tangled around my legs. I looked up to see her standing in the open doorway looking slightly amused at my clumsiness. "You were really tired if you were sleeping that that soundly. Rough night?"

"Oh yea, that's me." I laughed, tossing the blankets aside and stood up and looked over at my cousin. There was a sparkle in her eye, in a way that hadn't been present for a while and it made me curious. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, toying with her blond hair and trying to appear innocent, which of course she was. "I just came to wake you up."

"No that's not it. Something is going on because you look happy. Like really happy." I pointed out as I leaned down to pick up my covers.

"Is that a bad thing?" She wanted to know, sitting on the edge of my bed while I went through my drawers to find my uniform.

"I'm not saying it is." I told her, pulling out my shorts and white t-shirt before sitting in front of my vanity mirror. "It just seems out of the blue. You know, after everything that has happened in the last few months."

"Can't I just be happy without it meaning anything?" She giggled a little too cheerfully as she stood behind me and brushed my long, chocolate brown hair while I dusted my face with loose powder.

"Must have been a good night with Bill then." I stated, watching her go red in the reflection of the mirror.

"Yea, I guess you could put it that way." Sookie said quietly, lifting her hand up for me to see and a small sparkle on her finger caught my eye and she laughed at me when my mouth fell open. "What?"

"Bill proposed?" I exclaimed and when she nodded, I felt a smile spread widely across my face and I immediately jumped up to hug her. "Oh my gosh Sookie, I am so happy for you. Why didn't you tell me last night when it happened?"

"Partially because you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you." She explained, twirling the diamond ring around her finger. "Besides, Bill kept me kind of occupied. We were celebrating."

"Oh ok. I get it now." I nodded, taking the hint. I grinned and wrapped my arms around her again. "This is so exciting. I can't believe you're getting married. I'm going to be in the bridal party right?"

"Well hold your horses. There's not going to be a wedding anytime soon. At least not until it is made legal for humans and vampires to be married. That law hasn't been passed yet." She reminded me, her happiness not dimming at all.

"Oh it's only a matter of time before that happens." I waved my hands to brush that little complication off. "All that matters is that you are engaged. I still can't believe it."

"You and me both. I hardly thought it was real, even as it was happening. And I believe I even told Bill that and he laughed and then showed me the ring and then it all kind of hit me at once." Sookie answered with a shrug as she held out her hand in front of her as if to re-confirm it was really true. There was a small frown on her face as she looked downward. "You know, as happy as I am, it kind of makes me sad at the same time."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I always hoped I would get married some day and have my parents there with me. And then when they died, it was hoping that Grams would be there and now she's gone too." She replied, grimacing slightly. "It's just a lot to think about when something life-changing happens like this."

"Yea I would imagine so." I said, squeezing her waist with my arm as we laid our heads together and fell silent for a minute. Then I stood back and smiled. "So you have to tell me every single detail of this proposal."

"Later, I promise. But right now, you need to get dressed and to Merlottes before Sam freaks out on you." She warned and then tossed my pile of clothes at me. "I'll see you later when I come in."

"Alright. Stay out of trouble." I waved at her as she headed out the door. "Love you Sookie."

"Love you too Allie."

* * *

_"That Stackhouse girl is weird."_

_"Which one? There are two of them."_

_"The younger one. With the dark hair."_

_"Well they are both weird...but I don't like this one. I don't trust dark haired women."_

_"That's ridiculous. You are a dark haired woman."_

_"No I'm not... I'm a natural blond with dark roots."_

_"There is no such thing."_

_"Of course there is."_

I had to fight the smile that threatened to take over my face as I walked through the bar with my tray and heard the thoughts of the townsfolk sitting at the tables around me. I knew I shouldn't be listening to people's minds like that, but sometimes I just couldn't help myself. It was just a natural reaction to want to hear what my fellow neighbors were thinking about me and the rest of my friends and family. And although what I heard most of the time were insults and name calling, I tried not to let it bother me. I did bring it on myself since I invited myself to listen in on people. But at least if I didn't want to hear it, I was able to tune out those voice easily. Sookie on the other hand, didn't have it quite as easy as I did. My poor cousin had to struggle sometimes to mute the thoughts of everyone in the room. And it made me wish I could switch places with her and give her my ability to silence the thoughts.

"You look distracted." A cheerful sounding voice broke through my head and I stopped in place to see Sam standing at the bar by himself wiping down the counter. "Anything on your mind?"

"Oh just thinking about how crazy our town is." I told him, setting down my empty tray and reaching over my shoulder to pull my hair down. "Your customers are ridiculous."

"You're just realizing that now?" He asked, laughing to himself as he tossed me a bottle of water and I smiled gratefully at him.

"I guess I just keep holding out hope that people will become less..."

"Stupid?" Sam offered and I nodded. "Well that's not going to happen. People are too set in their ways."

"That's for damn sure." I chuckled, taking a sip of water. "Although, it is kind of nice to only have to worry about how nuts our neighbors are."

"Get used to it. It usually never lasts too long." Sam mentioned and I had to agree with him. There was only a short period of time where things were calm before new chaos broke out. And I was determined to enjoy this peace while it lasted.

"Excuse me. Where the hell are those extra napkins I asked for?" A disgruntled voice yelled out from the back of the room and I rolled my eyes. People tended to be rude when they had to wait for something for more the 30 seconds.

"I should go tend to the flock." I said , grabbing my tray and headed towards the door to the back, making sure to look over my shoulder, "Talk to you later Sam."

I walked through the open doorway and over to the supply table where I grabbed a stack of paper napkins and tucked them into my apron. I quickly tied my hair back again and hurried out to the dining area and towards the booth against the back wall. I tried to keep a calm smile on my face as stepped towards the table of slightly drunken men who were currently inhaling 3 plate fulls of messy chicken wings. "Here are your napkins. Sorry for the wait."

"Oh that's quite alright sweet thing." One of the men said with a perverse smile as he grabbed my wrist with his sauce covered fingers. "Why don't you take a break and sit down with us?"

"Sorry can't do that." I smiled sweetly, trying to pull away but his grip tightened. For a drunken fool, this guy was strong. "Sir, can you please let go of me?"

"Now why would I do that?" He slurred, standing up with my wrist still in his hand. "You were late serving us and maybe to make it up to me and my boys, you should service us in another way."

"You go Jeffrey. Nail her." One of his friends cheered, swinging his beer bottle in the air above his head.

"Yea, show her who's boss." Another one of his friends ordered, also swindling a beer.

"I think you need to let me go before you invite trouble." I warned, trying to avoid making a scene and was grateful that there weren't too many customers around. "Please let me go. I do not want to repeat myself."

"Darling calm down. We just want to have a good time." The drunken slob insisted, now wrapping his arm around my small waist. "So show us a good time."

"I believe the lady said let her go." A rough sounding voice growled and an arm shot out and pulled the guy off of me and shoved him into the wall. Once I gathered my wits I was able to turn my head and see who my savior was and was amused to see it was Terry Bellefleur standing there, looking all kinds of tough and protective. "Next time do as she said."

"It's ok Terry. I got this." I told him gently, and he nodded before letting the guy go. I looked at the table and said "If y'all are done, then I would get moving."

"Yes ma'am." They all muttered in unison and scurried over each other to get out of the booth and towards the main entrance. Once they had all disappeared and all was calm again, I looked back at Terry and smiled. "Thank you for that."

"No problem. We're all family here and we all look out for each other." He said gruffly, blinking his eyes and then shrugged. "Just trying to be helpful."

"You are being helpful. Thanks for watching over me." I replied, patting his shoulder and in doing so, inadvertently let down my guard and saw into his mind.

_Little Allison Stackhouse...so pretty. _

_Those drunk perverts should never_ _lay a hand on her. _

_She may be 23 but she is like a little sister in my eyes. _

_Gotta look out for her. _

"I have to get to the back and refill some things." I explained, smiling again at what he had been thinking and hugged him quickly. "Thanks for the save." And then I hurried out of the dinning area. Many people may think of Terry as a man with a short fuse that was ready to blow at any minute, but I didn't think that at all. I saw the good inside of him and I was proud to call him my friend.

The rest of the afternoon passed without any more incidents. There were still plenty of redneck drunks hanging around the bar but no one else tried to mess with me. There was a steady stream of customers who came in for lunch on their breaks, so I was kept busy, running back and forth between the tables and the bar, trying to be as efficient at serving the people as I could. I enjoyed this work. I was very much a people person and being a waitress allowed me to interact with them daily, although sometimes I talked a little bit too much, which sometimes annoyed Sam, but he usually brushed it off. I was good at my job and he knew that. Which was why I think he let me get away with my mouth. Although I think it was also partially due to the fact that he was still carrying a major torch for Sookie and he probably thought that by doing me favors would get him points with my cousin. Sam was a good guy and if Sookie ever fell out of love with Bill, then I felt Sam would have been the next best choice. He had one of the purest hearts around and always looked out for Sookie and me, no matter what the circumstances were.

I was so busy that day that I barely noticed when night had fallen and the usual crowd of people came out for a good time. I had walked by Sookie twice when she came in to start her shift, without even realizing it. She had to shake me by the shoulder to get my attention and when I finally focused on her, I was shocked to see that she was kind of upset. She motioned for me to follow her to the back towards the bathrooms. I told Arlene and the other girl on the floor that I was taking a break and followed my cousin out of the bar. She didn't anything until we were in the small employee bathroom and had the door shut behind us. Then she spoke. "I told Sam."

"Told him what?" I asked, wondering what she could have told him to make her upset and that's when it hit me. "You told him about the engagement."

"Yes, and he kind of blew up at me." She muttered quietly, crossing her arms tightly.

"He's probably just upset because it dawned on him that he's never going to get a chance with you now." I pointed out, sitting on the counter by the mirrors and shaking my long dark hair loose. "He's still in love with you, and you telling him that Bill asked you to marry him is a blow to his heart."

"I suppose you're right. But I can't do anything about it." She said, gripping her hair in frustration. "I love Bill. And I'm sorry if I can't feel that way about Sam."

"You don't have to explain anything to me. I get it." I told her. "You can't help who you don't feel strongly about. Just like you can't help who you do love. It's just how it is."

"Are you sure you're not the older one?" Sookie questioned, a smile finally appearing on her face. "Because you sound a little too wise for a 23 year old."

"Thanks. I think." I laughed and then hopped back down to the floor. "Come on. Let's get back to work and then after wards I will buy you a drink or two."

"I appreciate that, but Bill and I are taking Jessica out for the night. She's been kind of down lately over the whole Hoyt situation and he thinks it will be good for them to bond." Sookie explained, running her hands through her hair and then reaching for the door.

"That's sweet. And they say Vampires aren't capable of emotion." I stated as we walked through the back.

"Allie, that's because most Vampires aren't like Bill. A majority of them still have no problem hunting down humans and sucking them dry." Sookie told me, re-tying her apron and then grabbing a spare tray off a table. "Thankfully Bill holds onto to his old humanity."

"Yea, thankfully." I said, shrugging my delicate shoulders as we passed through the open doorway to the dining room and stopped suddenly at the same time. Something strange was in the air. I looked at my cousin and frowned. "Why has everyone gone quiet?"

"For one reason and one reason only. A vampire just walked in." Sookie moaned, clenching her hands as she looked around. "Damn it."

"What?"

"He's here."

"Who's here?"

"Why is he here?"

"Sookie, who is here?" I demanded, looking at her face and was about to try and read her mind when she spoke again.

"Eric. Eric is here." She grimaced as she searched the bar and landed on the booth at the very back of the bar where everyone's attention was averted to.

"Eric Northman? That vampire you and Bill went off with to Dallas with?" I asked and after she nodded we both turned our heads to look at the table every one else was staring at. The booth was occupied by two vampires, the other one being a female dressed in all pink. I could tell immediately who Eric was as he was the only male vampire in the bar. My green eyes were drawn to the tall immortal man sitting in the booth facing the rest of the area. He had short blonde hair that was slicked back and he was clothed in all black, accentuating his paleness. Even from where I was standing, he gave off an air of confidence and seductiveness. Not to mention a don't mess with him type of attitude And even though the residents of Bon Temps looked terrified of him, the women still seemed dazzled by his looks. Every one was watching him as he conversed with his female companion and waited to see if he would look up. And when he did, his gaze fell on the spot where me and Sookie were standing. At first he had his focus on her and he raised his hand to motion her over to the table. And then, for a reason I couldn't fathom at the moment, he decided to turn his attention to me and his eyes looked me over and then stayed on my face. He seemed to be figure something out about me and I was trying not to become entranced by him. For what seemed like an eternity, but what was really only a minute, we stared at one another until Sookie nudged me with her shoulder and I came to.

"I'll be right back. I need to take care of this." She said, not looking too pleased and handed her tray to me. "I wonder what he wants."

"I don't know. But frankly I don't care." I told her, feeling a chill go through me as I tried to turn my attention away from him and to my cousin, but I still felt Eric's eyes on me. "He's kind of scary."

"You have no idea." Sookie muttered with a sigh. "I'll talk to you later."

I watched her walk across the bar passed the murmuring crowd and stand at the head of the table and talk to the two vampires before the female moved over and Eric motioned for her to take a seat. His eyes flashed back to me for a brief moment before finally turning his attention to Sookie. I shook my head and left my place by the bar counter and walked over to a table of older women who were waving me over. I tried to keep the thoughts of vampires out of my head which was hard considering there were two of them in the same room as me. Not to mention that it was all anyone was thinking about. It amazed me that after all this time of vampires making their presence known, that people still acted surprised whenever one of them entered a building. It's not like Bon Temps hadn't seen it's fair share of the supernatural lately. And yet, these folks still acted like it was the first time they had seen one. But as Sam said earlier, these usual customers were stupid and that wasn't going to change. So I just plastered a smile on my face and went back to work.

* * *

"Eric, if all you wanted to see me for, was to give me the money you owe then you could have waited until I agreed to come to Fangtasia." Sookie told the blond vampire sheriff who sat across from her. She had been suspicious ever since she had sat down with him and Pam 20 minutes and she still wasn't completely relaxed in why he was here.

"I could have done that, but I choose not to." He replied, folding his hands together in front of him.

"And that's what worries me." The blond Stackhouse stated, narrowing her eyes at him. "I get the feeling that you have some sort of hidden agenda. Because you wouldn't have come here just to give me a check."

"Don't you trust me?" Eric asked, with a smirk and a tone that suggested she shouldn't trust him.

"With our track record, I have to say no." Sookie replied, crossing her arms and sat back. She looked over at Pam, "Do you want to explain why you and him are here?"

"I just follow orders, I don't question them." Pam said coolly, looking bored as she spoke and looked around at the people in the bar. "There are some delectable morsels here that I might have to get a taste of."

"Good luck with that, no one in this town will let you bite them." Sookie scoffed, feeling disgusted by the way Pam looked around at the customers as if they were dinner. But her being a vampire, that was exactly how she looked at people.

"Oh you would be surprised at what humans will do when presented with a certain proposition." Eric said, leaning back in his seat with his leather jacket covered arm across the back of the booth. It was then that his focus was steered away from the conversation and off across the room. "Speaking of delectable humans, I see one right now."

Sookie frowned and turned in her seat to see what Eric was staring at and her eyes landed on Allison who was standing at the bar, sorting through a pile of receipts. Sookie looked back at Eric and he was staring at her cousin with a look that would most likely only invite trouble. Allison wasn't looking up, but by the tension in her body, Sookie could tell that she knew she was being stared at. So Sookie turned back around and shook her head at the sheriff. "Eric, no."

"What do you mean no?" He inquired, not taking his eyes off the younger Stackhouse girl. "I am merely looking at another human."

"No you are not. I've seen that look before. And I know that look. And the answer is absolutely not. You can't have her." Sookie insisted, fearing what may happen if Eric became interested in Allie.

"He's the sheriff of area 5. He can have any human he wants." Pam spoke up, filing her nails over in the corner.

"For once, you've said something right Pam." Eric replied, nodding at her before looking down at Sookie, his face hardening slightly. "Tell me why you are so against the thought of me setting my sights on this strange human girl."

"She's not just some strange human girl. She's my cousin." Sookie exclaimed, really not liking the way Eric was looking over the girl. "Allison is my family, Eric. And I don't want her involved with you."

"I think that is up to her to decide." Eric murmured, his eyes holding a far away look that made Sookie even more suspicious. Whenever Eric became interested in any human, there was always a reason behind it and she was determined to find it out.

"I mean it Eric. Please keep your distance. You've done it for this long, don't break that cycle now." Sookie warned, not caring that she couldn't do a thing to stop him if he decided he wanted Allison. "There are other girls and women around that would gladly get involved with you if that's what you want. Just choose someone else."

"I don't want anyone else. I want her."

"Why? Why her? Why do you suddenly seem so interested in my cousin?" Sookie demanded to know. Eric always had something up his sleeve and there were times when she did trust him, but when it came to her family, she didn't trust him at all

"That I have yet to figure out." He responded, crushing a napkin inside his pale fist before releasing it. "Is she like you?"

"I don't know what you mean." Sookie denied, even though she knew exactly what he was getting at.

"I think you do, sweetie." Pam purred, narrowing her eyes. "He wants to know if she can do what you can do."

"And why do you want to know that? Are you going to try to recruit her for some stupid plan of yours?" Sookie snapped a little louder then she intended to. She felt the eyes of the townspeople on the table and her cheeks burned for a minute.

_Calm down Sookie, your rampant thoughts are making me dizzy. He's not going to do anything so don't worry. Just relax and get out of there when you can._

Sookie glanced up and over to the bar where Allie was looking at her. She smiled briefly at her cousin and nodded, watching as the other girl disappeared to the back and she was able to refocus again. Eric was watching her with a knowing smirk that said she had answered his question without even speaking. Sookie sighed and closed her eyes. "Please Eric. Don't make me beg."

"You already have begged. And now I'm more curious about her. There's something different about her...I can just tell."

* * *

"Your cousin looks all kinds of pissed." Lafayette sang out from the kitchen where he was flipping burgers on the grill and dancing to the beat of the radio that was playing in the corner. "It's because Eric's here isn't it?"

"You know Eric?" I asked, leaning on the center table and watched my friend cook.

"Precious, have you forgotten the fact that I was punished by vampires for selling V not too long ago." He reminded me and I wanted to slap myself for forgetting that. The poor guy still wasn't fully recovered from that experience.

"I'm sorry. I forgot." I admitted with a frown.

"That makes one of us." He groaned, waving his spatula in the air. "And him being here only means trouble. That's the only time he shows up."

"That's what Sookie was thinking earlier." I murmured, watching my cousin pass by the open window looking anything but pleased. "I think I should go make sure she is ok."

"No I think you ought to let her cool off. She looks like she could use it." Lafayette informed me, turning back to the grill. "Talking to that particular vampire is more exhausting then talking to 10 of them at once."

"Then hopefully I never have to experience that." I said, walking over to the sink to wash my hands.

"Oh that's not going to happen hookah." he exclaimed, clicking his tongue against his teeth. "That vamp's been watching you all night and that means bad news for you."

"If he was that dangerous then Sookie wouldn't be involved with him." I pointed out, pushing back a strand of loose hair and dried my hands on a spare towel. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

"Not against a determined vampire you can't." He retorted, shaking his head. "Just keep on your toes. You never know when one of them will pop up."

"Don't worry. I can handle that."

**

* * *

**

**4 hours later**

"Night Sam, see you tomorrow." I called out to my boss as I pulled on my light green hoodie and walked towards the exit of the bar, ready to go home and fall asleep. It had been a really long and interesting day to say the least.

"Bye Allie." Sam waved at me as he stood by the register and counted the money inside before removing it and taking it back to his office and shutting off all the main lights of the bar.

I stepped out in to the darkened parking lot and sighed in content at the coolness of the air. It was super refreshing after a long shift in the bar to walk out into the late night and not see anyone in sight. I loved people, but it was at this point where I was so tired that I didn't want to deal with them any more. People were particularly rude that night and no one seemed satisfied with the service. But us waitresses had to keep up the pleasant facade even when we were getting yelled at by drunken men and women who had no business being in a bar. Sookie had taken off before me to spend the night with Bill and Jessica and as she was leaving, the happiness had returned to her face. She had been in a terrible mood after talking with Eric and it wasn't until I reminded her that she was supposed to be meeting her fiancee, that she seemed to snap out of it. I just hoped she had fun tonight. She really looked like she needed it. And we would probably talk about what happened in the morning. But right now, all I was thinking about was getting home.

And little did I know was that I wouldn't be able to do that.

I was just reaching my car that was parked on the far end of the parking lot when I heard something that made every muscle in my body grow tense and attentive. I wasn't quite sure what it was that I heard, but I didn't have long to think about it because something heavy ran into me and knocked me to the ground. I felt the wind leave my lungs from the force of the collision and my heart immediately began pounding in my chest, furiously pumping blood through my veins, which proved to be my undoing. It was in that split second that I felt a hard pair of hands grab me by the neck and pull me to my feet. I was then able to look at who my attacker was and I thought my heart would stop when I saw the whiteness of the protruding fangs that shot out of his mouth. I don't know why, but I wasn't able to scream or even utter a sound as I was dragged into the trees surrounding the parking lot.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to go walking in the dark by yourself?" The vampire asked cruelly, as he shoved me backwards into a tree trunk and I felt a spasm of pain exploded across my body and my legs collapsed under me and I found myself on the ground again.

"Didn't anyone tell you not to go attacking innocent people?" I shot back, which was probably not the best thing to do considering I had an angry and obviously hungry vampire in front of me.

"Ah a feisty human. This will make it so much better when I drain you." He laughed, stalking forward until he was standing in front of me. He wasted no time in reaching down and dragging me back up into a standing position. He leaned in and sniffed at my skin before pulling back and looking absolutely pleased. "You're going to taste so fucking good."

I couldn't even formulate a thought because the next second brought a piercing pain that I had never experienced before. He sank his fangs deep into the side of my neck and I could literally feel the blood flowing out of my veins. I felt my knees knock together as he sucked upon me, drinking the life out of me drip by drip. He had his cold stone body up against mine and that was the only way that I was even still standing straight. Everything was feeling heavy the longer he drank from me. My arms and legs no longer seemed attached to me and my eyelids were falling shut. I could faintly hear my heart still pounding, but even that was starting to slow. It was then that it occurred to me that I was going to die. I was going to die here alone with this vampire draining every drop of blood from my body. I was going to die at 23 years old. I was going to die before I had even really lived. And I couldn't stop it. It seemed to go on forever, the pain, the loss of blood, the slow death.

And then, suddenly, it was over.

I felt the vampire's fangs leave my neck as being pulled away and I fell to the ground, barely conscious of what was happening. I waited for him to come back and finish the job, but he didn't. My vision was unclear and I couldn't lift my head to see where he had gone. But I saw a second figure enter the clearing and shove the vampire far off into the darkened trees. It occurred to me that the only thing that could overpower a vampire was another vampire. And that didn't make me feel safe. In fact it only terrified me more. Maybe this new vampire was only here to finish me off and that's why it had attacked the first one. And if if that was the case, then I was still as good as dead. If the stronger vampire didn't kill me now, then I would be dead soon anyway. My attacker had drained me to the point that my heart and lungs were struggling to work and I was starting to grow too tired to fight it. My eyelids were beginning to close just as a long pair of legs came back into the clearing and stood before me. I couldn't turn my head upwards to see who it was and I didn't care. I just wanted the pain to end and at this point, it didn't matter who did it.

"My oh my. Isn't this an interesting sight." A husky voice spoke from high above me and then he was down at my eye level and looking at me. I couldn't see his face or his eyes. The only thing I could make out was the blond hair and the black clothing of my savior. He touch the spot on my neck where the blood was still flowing and brought his fingers to his lips. And I could hear him sigh in satisfaction. "You taste just as delectable as I thought you would."

"Who...who..."I couldn't even formulate a sentence as my eyes fell shut. I could still hear him though. He moved around and I felt a pair of arms move under me and I was scooped up into the air and settled against a hard rock of a chest. My breathing was raggedy as my head leaned against his shoulder and I tried to gain enough strength to speak. "I...I'm...dying."

"Well we can't have that now can we?" He said with a devious laugh. "I told your cousin I wanted you, and if you die then you are of no amusement to me."

I felt a rush of air hit my face and I fell into a deep sleep, not knowing where he was taking me and being too weak to resist.

**A/N: so it looks like Mr. Northman has come to her rescue. But why is that? What exactly does he want with her? Cause let's face it, Eric never does anything for anybody. So this can't be coincidence.**


	3. A cold drink

**Chapter 3 A cold drink**

_"She's lost a lot of blood. There's a very slim chance that she's going to survive this attack..."_

_"Do what you have to do. I don't care what it takes. You have to save her."_

_"How many times must I tell you Mr. Northman? I am not a miracle worker. Her heart is very weak at the moment and she barely has enough blood in her body keeping her alive as it is."_

_"What are my options then?"_

_"You can further drain her until her heart is ready to stop and then make her into one of you..."_

_"I would be inviting too much trouble if I did that. So turning her is not an option."_

_"Well I could try and replenish the blood loss and possibly get her to the point where you can give her your blood to finish healing..."_

_"Done."_

I stopped hearing things after that. I didn't exactly black out but I wasn't totally conscious either. So I guess I was stuck somewhere in between. I was able to take notice of a small prick in my arm and I suppose that was the needle going in. Within a few seconds, I felt a coolness spread through out my body. I don't know if it was the blood transfusion or the company of protective vampires, but my body began to relax, and while I wasn't exactly comfortable, I wasn't in as much pain as I was before. There were vibrations coming up from the floor from somebody pacing close by. And the murmuring of voices came at me from all sides. It sounded like an argument was taking place in the room, but I couldn't identify who it was. The only thing I knew for sure was that Eric was somewhere near me and that was all. I didn't know if that was supposed to make me feel better or not, after all he was a vampire, with a bad reputation. He had taunted and seduced my cousin and practically forced her to put her life in danger to help him. He was a monster from what Sookie had told me about him. But then again, I vaguely remembered that he had been the one to pull the other vampire off of me and bring me to where ever I was currently to be treated by a doctor. So he couldn't have been all bad. But I wasn't exactly in a state to be making conscious judgment on anyone. And if by some miracle I did survive this, then maybe I would change my opinion . Maybe.

It was then that I felt a familiar heaviness settle on my eyes and I knew that I was falling asleep. I tried to fight it however, not sure if this would be the last time I was awake and alive. But I was too weak to hold it off and it took over me. And I was falling head-long into darkness, as if I had been pushed off the highest peak and into a black hole. There was nothing around me that said I was dreaming like normal. There were no people or pictures or even colors. No voices or noises or any sounds at all. Just blackness all around. But in a weird way it was soothing. In the same way it felt when you had a migraine and you stepped out of the sunlight and into a dark room and the pain lessened considerably. It was just like that. The pain was still there, but it had become more of a dull throb. I don't know how long I was sleeping or if I even was sleeping, but suddenly there was the faint sound of a beating heart and I realized that it was my own. It was growing stronger, the longer I listened. And before I knew it, the sound of my frenzied heartbeat had filled my ears and it was all I could hear. Something was taking place in that moment and I couldn't tell if it was something good or not. Maybe this was just fake hope my mind was producing before I passed on and left this earth. But the beat got even stronger and the noise louder. I listened to it for what seemed like an eternity. I wondered when it would finally end and there would be peace. And I was so caught up in this thought process that I didn't even realize the pain was leaving my body. And my beating heart got quieter. Then suddenly there was all this light appearing in little chunks in my vision. The darkness was fading and the strength was returning to me, I could feel it in my veins. My limbs felt shaky as if I had been sick with the flu for weeks, but my body was alive. I was certain of that. And that was the moment I opened my eyes. I couldn't quite focus on anything, but there was the blur of a blond haired male hovering above me and I realized it was Eric.

"Welcome back little Stackhouse." His velvety voice spoke while his cold fingers toyed with my long dark hair. I wanted to struggle against his touch, but even if I had my normal strength back, I still wouldn't have been able to do anything. "It's time to finish the healing process."

I didn't know what he meant by that, but I got the gist of it when I heard the sound of protruding fangs and he brought his wrist up to his beautiful mouth and suddenly bite into it with a sickening crunch that made my stomach turn. I felt his cool hand move under my hair and hold the back of my neck, pulling me upwards towards his body. He then held his bleeding arm in front of my eyes and I instantly turned my head and tried to resist. "No..."

"You must drink, or else you will not heal properly. You want to live, do you not?" He asked in a way that was more of a statement then a question. His hand gripped my neck and forced my head closer to his wrist. I could see the bright red of the blood and I wanted nothing more then to be able to move away from it but he wouldn't let me. When he saw I wouldn't make the first move voluntarily, he placed his bleeding wrist right against my shaking lips and said in a dangerously soft voice, "Drink. Right now."

I felt the first drops of blood slide down my throat without even having to do anything and I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't taste as vile as I thought it would. It had a thick consistency as if I were simply drinking a milkshake instead of the life force of a vampire. I found myself not exactly liking it but being slightly intrigued by the taste, so I ran the tip of my tongue along the edges of the wound he had created and it started to gush more freely. And the more it flowed into my mouth, the stronger I felt my body becoming. If this was what it was going to take to keep me alive then I was going to do it and get as much out of it as I could. I was able sit up on my own by now and without even realizing what I was doing, I had wrapped both of my arms around his arm and began sucking the blood into my mouth instead of just letting it enter on it's own. I heard a click and I knew that Eric's fangs had come back out but I barely even took notice of that as I drank from him. I don't know if I was doing it because I wanted to or if it was just a side effect of the vampire's blood. But there was a strange satisfaction I was feeling from it that was unlike anything I had felt before. And I didn't want it to stop.

"That's enough. I don't want to have to explain to your cousin why you are so over done." He laughed, pulling his wrist away from me easily and within seconds the wound had close and there was new skin over it as if nothing had ever happened.

"I suddenly feel tired." I told him with a frown, touching my head with my hands. "I thought vampire blood was supposed to heal humans."

"Your body still needs to rest, but it has already begun healing you." He explained, removing his hand from the back of my neck and sat down in front of me.

"Where am I?" I asked, finally taking a moment to look at my surroundings and saw that I was in an office of some kind. I was sitting up on a dark green couch set against a wall opposite of a desk. There were metal shelves in here so I guess it doubled as a storage room.

"You are inside Fangtasia, the vampire bar." He said in explanation, standing up and walking over to sit on the edge of his desk with his arms crossed. I saw that he had removed his leather jacket and was wearing black pants and a black tank top that showed off his long muscular arms. "This is where I brought you after the attack."

"Why didn't you just me die?" I asked, wondering what he had in store for me. I may not know much about him, but I knew enough to know that he wouldn't save any human unless it was for his own personal gain. "I mean, why did you save me?"

"No questions. You should sleep. But first..." He left his perch on the opposite side of the room and was beside me in a flash. I barely had a chance to register what was happening when his hand went back to where it had been previously on my neck, successfully freezing me in place. "Allow me to clean you up."

"What does that mean exactly..."I never got a chance to finish because the next second brought on a different sensation. I don't know what I expected him to do but it wasn't this. He had brought his head down to my throat and I could feel the coolness radiating from his hard skin. My first thought was that he was going to bite me, but he proved me wrong. Instead, I felt his cool, moist tongue running across the skin of my throat and neck. If I was shocked by his actions, I certainly didn't feel feel it. However, what I did feel was a surprisingly enjoyable sensation. And I almost smiled while he continued to lick off the dried up blood on my skin. So this is what he meant by cleaning me up. I must have had a lot of blood on me for him to be doing this. His hand was still on the back of my neck, his fingers tangled in my dark hair as he made his way across my warm skin. His body was so close to me and so utterly exquisite that I couldn't stop myself from wanting to touch him. So I did. He was too preoccupied with my throat anyway, so I'm sure he wouldn't notice. I let my fingers rise in the air until they touched his shoulder, lightly running across the plains of his hardened skin. I smiled again, he felt better then I thought he would. It wasn't the same as touching a human man, it was different, better. I wanted to feel more of him and there didn't seem to be any lines that hadn't already been crossed to stop me. I placed my palm flat on his arm, moving it across his body until it came to his neck and I let it stay there, allowing my fingers to stroke his jaw, wondering if he could feel it. I got my answer when he pulled back to look at me and I saw that his fangs had come back out were glaringly white only inches from my face. I felt my heart thud in my chest and his face twisted into a smirk which only made his fangs even more scary looking. I managed to find my voice and ask, "You're not going to bite me are you?"

"Not yet." He replied, tilting his head back and his fangs retracted. His hand moved from it's place on my neck and he stood up, looking even taller as I was still sitting on the couch. He looked towards a clock on his desk and clenched his teeth before looking back at me. "It is almost dawn and it's time for me to retire to my coffin. And you need to sleep."

"Ok." I agreed, still feeling the exhaustion in my limbs, but I wasn't quite ready to make myself vulnerable by falling asleep. I looked up at Eric. "I'm not going to...I mean, no one will..."

"No other vampires will disturb you." He answered roughly, and then in the vampire way, he was gone in a flash and I was left alone. There was complete silence in the air and no sound coming from any other part of the building. There were no windows in here of course, so I couldn't even look out to see the sky.

I sighed shakily, laying my head down on the arm of the couch and closed my eyes. I was more then ready to get some sleep before I had to get up and function for the day. If I was going to go about my normal routine then I needed rest. And rest would bring the strength I needed to deal talking to Sookie when I got home. She would surely be wondering where I was. But then again, a thought hit me that made me frown. I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to stay here for the day until night came again or if I could leave. But I had to wave off answers to those questions until I woke up.

"...what a crazy day..."

* * *

**3 hours later...**

"Where the fuck have you been? You never came home last night." My cousin's voice exploded at me the moment I stepped foot on the porch of the house.

I cringed at the sound of her distressed voice and felt guilty that I had made her worry about me. But the past few hours had been out of my control. After the attack last night, I had been in a desperate struggle to stay alive so I could return to my cousin. And after being treated by the doctor and then by Eric, I had to rest my body, thus delaying my return even longer. When I had woken up on that couch in his office a few hours ago, I was immediately panicked, not sure what to do. Should I stay there in his office until he came for me at nightfall? Or should I risk angering him by leaving? Obviously I chose the latter and somehow made it out through a back door and hailed down a taxi to take me back to Bon Temps. I had to be dropped off at Merlottes so I could get my car and then I began my own drive home, knowing that Sookie would be awake by now and would surely notice my absence from the house. And when I exited the car and walked up the steps to the front door, I heard frantic footsteps and knew that it was her. And she was so mad that her thoughts weren't even in words. It was just a long line of blurring.

"I'm sorry." I said, dropping my bag on the porch and leaned against the railing while she stood in front of me with her arms crossed tightly.

"That's all you can say is sorry?" She snapped, looking mad and worried all at the same time. I didn't even know where to begin to explain what had happened. And it would be easier if she would just look in my mind and see it, but we had always said we would never do that on purpose. "Where were you?"

"I...I was uh..."I tried to find the right words to start off my explanation, but it was a struggle. So much was going on inside my head and lot of it still had to do with Eric, although I tried to forget that part. But what I couldn't forget in that moment was when I looked up and saw Sookie staring at me with a horrified look on her face. "What?"

"Allie...the blood...on your shirt..." She stuttered, her eyes snapping up from the red stains to my face as if checking to see if I was alive or just a figment of her imagination. "What happened to you?"

"After work last night, I was going to my car and I got a little delayed." I began, wondering how to word it without freaking her out the most. But I realized there was no other way to say it except for bluntly. I sighed and met her eyes hesitantly, "I was attacked by a vampire."

"Oh my god." She whispered, immediately grabbing me into her arms. She hugged me tightly, her grip almost vice-like. "Who was it? It wasn't Eric was it? I will find some way to hurt him if he had anything to do with this. Oh I knew he would try something after he said he was interested in you. I just knew it."

"Sookie, it wasn't Eric." I assured her, pulling back to look at her face."I don't even know who it was. I had never seen this vampire before. He just grabbed me when I was at my car and pulled me into the woods to drain me."

"Oh shit." Sookie said, her mouth dropping open wide as I spoke. "But how did you escape?"

"I didn't. You know as well as I do that a human can't fight off a vampire." I replied, recounting last night and feeling myself get shaky at the memory. "I couldn't do anything to keep him off me when he bit me. And I had to just stand there, feeling my heart beat slow down while he drank from me."

"Oh Allie. You must have been terrified. You poor thing." She cried, sitting next to me on the railing and squeezed my hand. "But I still don't understand how you are still here with me if you were drained by a vamp."

"I thought I was going to die. And I was about to. But then this vampire got pulled away from me and thrown off into the trees somewhere. And we both know, only another vampire can do that." I explained, rubbing my face with my hands. "That other vampire was Eric."

"Eric?" Sookie asked incredulously. "Eric saved you?"

"Yea. He showed up to stop that vampire from killing me. And at first I thought he was going to finish me off himself, but he took me to Fangtasia instead."

"Oh no. I have a bad feeling about this. Nothing good ever comes out of being taken to that place." Sookie sighed.

"He had some kind of doctor try and help me and she must have given me a blood transfusion, but that wasn't enough." I said, looking down at the porch and twisted my legs around each other. "Eric said he would finish it."

"What are you saying." Sookie asked me, her face going still as if she was scared of my answer. When I didn't responded, she grabbed my arm tightly. "Allison, what did he do?"

"He gave me his blood." I told her, watching her face go from horrified to absolute fury. "Sookie, don't be mad, it saved my life."

"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at him." She exclaimed, jumping off onto the porch floor and threw her hands in the air. "I can't believe he did this. He knew this kind of thing would upset me Now he's always going to know where you are at all times. He's going to know everything you're feeling."

"Who cares that he did it? And it doesn't matter that he will know where I am or what I feel. All that matters is that, by him giving me blood, I was able to stay alive."

"Him giving you his blood isn't just some random act of kindness. Eric doesn't help anyone unless they can somehow do him a favor in return. So he most likely has some agenda planned for you and that's why he showed up to save you." She said, shaking her head so quickly that her loose hair hit her in the face. "Oh Allie, this is not good."

"You think I don't know that?" I asked my cousin, standing up myself. "I remember what you told me about him. I know what he made you and Bill do. But I had to throw all that away because i really didn't want to die. And if I didn't drink his blood, then I wouldn't be standing here with you. I would be lying in the morgue and you would be planning another funeral."

"Well when you say it like that it makes sense." She agreed, not looking happy. "It's just that, I tried to keep him away from you and then he goes and does the very thing that's going to bond you to him forever. And I don't know why."

"I don't care what the reason is. I don't care what motive he may have hidden in the shadows. All I care about is that I got the chance to come back home to my family on my own two feet instead of in a body bag." I answered, feeling the tears slip down my cheeks. Sookie had practically the same reaction and we ended up hugging each other again, so tightly that it was like we never wanted to let go.

"You know I love you and all, right?" She asked and I nodded against her shoulder. "I just worry too much."

"I know. And I love you for that." I said, laughing slightly. "But sometimes you have to let go of worrying about me all the time and remember that I'm 23 years old."

"I will still worry about you no matter how old you get." Sookie teased, releasing me so I could reach down and pick up my bag. "And as long as Eric is involved, I'm going to be nervous pretty much all the time."

"Didn't you say he had a few moments where he was actually compassionate?" I asked, heading towards the front door.

"Yea but those moments were few and far between. If I didn't see him do something that wasn't entirely selfish I think I might die." She stated, following into the house. I went to go up the stairs but she grabbed my arm before I could take another step. "Just be careful when you're around him. He's not that easy to trust."

"I'll remember."

* * *

"Girl you look like hell."

"Thanks Lafayette. I appreciate your way with people very much." I said as I hurried into the bar later that day, late once again due to the stress of the previous night's events. After I had spoken with Sookie, I had gone upstairs to shower, desperate to clean off the rest of the blood that had been caked on my body in places that Eric hadn't gotten to. Not that I hadn't thought about it. Just the briefest vision of his tongue touching me under my clothes was enough to keep me in the shower long enough to satisfy my desire. And by the time I got out I had to pick up the pace to get to Merlottes to start my shift.

"No offense, you just look like you've had a rough night." He replied as I dumped my bag in Sam's office and walked out, tying my apron around my hips.

"You have no idea." I muttered, reaching for a note pad and a spare pen to stuff in my pocket. "I got attacked last night by a vampire."

"Oh shit." He said, his amusement dropping from his carefree face and concern filled his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I am now." I sighed, leaning against the wall. "I told Sookie about it and she can fill you in. But I'm ok. Eric saved me."

"Eric Northman? He came to your rescue?" Lafayette asked looking taken aback. "Sweetness, that's the worse kind of vamp to be getting involved with. And that's saying a lot."

"I'm not going to get into this again. I already did once with Sookie and I don't feeling like arguing about it." I said, feeling frustrated and I briefly wondered if Eric could feel that. "Drinking his blood is what has me standing here right now."

"You drank his blood?" He exclaimed, his face taking on the same horrified look my cousin had worn previously. "Girl, that is all kinds of stupid. You don't want to be getting mixed up with Eric in that kind of way."

"It's done and there is nothing I can do about it. This my fate now and I have to take whatever comes from it." I said matter-of-factually and picked up an empty tray. "But at least I'm alive to see it happen."

I walked away from him and into the main part of the bar which was slowly starting to fill up with early bird customers, the usual crew who came in just before 5. I put on my best smile and tried to act like everything was normal. But that was tough considering that I wasn't normal before I drank vampire blood. That didn't mean I didn't try. It just seemed like everyone who I served for the next 60 minutes was staring at me even more so then usual. Like they could all tell what I had done just hours ago. It made me feel on edge and I struggled to keep my mind on my work. Now I knew how Sookie felt when she couldn't keep those thoughts out of her head. Speaking of my cousin, I had spotted her coming in to join me for the night shift, but we hadn't crossed paths yet. She didn't enter my head and I didn't enter hers and I was worried that maybe she was mad about the situation. Luckily though, she looked up and smiled at me, so I knew everything was alright.

_"Stupid Stackhouse girls...they are always off day dreaming."_

_"What is wrong with those waitresses? There's something wrong with all of them?"_

_"The blonde is pretty. I wouldn't mind spending the night with her. Although her cousin is hot too. I wonder if we could do a three-some."_

_"Can't Sam Merlotte give these girls something decent to wear? They all look like whores with those outfits."_

_"That Allison Stackhouse is a bad bad girl. I heard she drank blood from a vampire."_

"Who told you that?" I asked, a lot louder then I meant to and that brought on a whole crap load of looks from all the people in the bar. I looked around at all the tables and all the customers had their eyes on me. I felt a wave of heat flash over my skin and stay there, making me uncomfortable enough to wish there was a vampire near by to cool me off. I turned my head to the bar counter and Sookie and Sam were staring at me as well. I heard the rumblings of people's thoughts beginning to gather and I felt myself snap. "Go back to stuffing your faces and shut the fuck up."

I stomped away from the dinning area and tossed my tray on a back table before scurrying off to the bathroom, praying that it was empty. As soon as I entered the small tiled room and saw that it was unoccupied, I locked myself in the stall at the end and leaned against the wall with my eyes closed. I felt drained as if someone had stolen all the strength from my body and I was barely able to hold myself up. I didn't know how the customers found out about me drinking from Eric, but they knew. And now I would be dealing with more negative reactions. It was bad enough that Sookie and Lafayette had expressed their minds in such a way that left me feeling like they would rather have me be dead right now then alive from drinking Eric's blood. It made me want to cry but I held it off. Crying would mean I had done something wrong and I didn't think I did. I didn't want to die, so I did what I had to do to keep me alive. And there was no shame in that, despite what everyone else was thinking.

"People have no right to judge me on this." I said with a sigh, sliding down the wall until I was sitting on the tiled floor.

I couldn't stop thinking about this. I had tried to push it away for the day, but everyone's disapproval had brought it right back to the surface. And I hated them for it. It wasn't fair. I wasn't ready to leave this earth. It wasn't my time to go. I hadn't lived a full life. I had barely lived as it was. There had been too much tragedy in my life and Sookie's life and there was no way I could leave her alone. I hadn't done half of what I wanted to do, and if another few seconds had gone by last night, then I wouldn't have a chance to do anything. I would just be done. And I wasn't prepared to let that happen. So I did what I had to do and I was not going to act guilty for it, and I certainly wasn't going to apologize for it.

"Allie? Are you ok?" Sookie's voice came into the room and I heard the door shut behind before her feet appeared under the door.

"I'm fine." I sniffed, wiping away tears that I hadn't even realized had fallen. "Is everyone out there still talking?"

"Not too much. But yea there is some talk." She admitted sliding down the wall on the other side of the stall and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked, leaning my head back.

"I was talking to Sam and Lafayette about what you told me and I guess some of the customers over heard and that's when people started thinking about it." She explained, tapping the floor with her fingers. "I heard their thoughts like you did and that's why you snapped, isn't it?"

"It's just frustrating." I told her, toying with the laces on my sneakers. "I don't care that you said anything or that anyone else knows. But all I'm hearing is negativity and disapproval. And I'm getting tired defending myself."

"Sam, Lafayette and I are just concerned..."

"I know I know. You guys are worried about what this means for me now. I get it. You don't like that I drank his blood and you all made it abundantly clear how you feel about it." I said, staring straight ahead of me. "But it's making me feel that you would rather I be dead right now, then have Eric's blood in me."

"Allie, that's not true!"

"That's how it feels." I shot back, standing up and opening the stall door. "And as I said before. I'm not going to say I'm sorry for that because I'm not sorry."

And with that being said, I walked passed her and left her alone in the room.

* * *

**2 Hours later...**

The next few hours of work passed without anymore freak outs or arguments. Sookie and I talked again and came to an agreement to just not discuss the situation anymore unless we had to. So all was good on that front. She was actually sitting at a booth with Bill who had come in with Jessica to visit, and even though having two vampires in the bar after all the talk was making all the people uneasy, it made me feel happy that the spotlight was taken off me for a change. I had gone over to say hello to them and even though Bill kissed me on the cheek in greeting, I could see in his eyes that Sookie had filled him in on the attack and rescue. I couldn't read what he was thinking about the situation nor could I read his facial expression. But I could take a guess at what he was probably saying in his head. It was obvious from what Sookie had told me about their past, that Bill disliked Eric greatly, but still respected him since Eric was his superior. But even so, Bill still wished to keep as much distance between them and Eric as possible. And now with them being engaged and me being bonded to Eric, that was going to be impossible and I'm sure Bill was thinking that as well. And that's why I hurriedly brought him and Jessica some bottles of True Blood and then scurried off to the back to restock some shelves.

I kept myself busy by refilling napkin dispensers and half empty ketchup bottles. I needed a break from the loudness and hostile stares that were still coming my way. Which was why I was hiding and doing menial task that I wasn't hired to do. I just needed to do something that didn't involve being around people at the moment. Sam passed by me a few times but he didn't comment on what I was doing. He simply nodded and kept on walking. I sighed, knowing he was going to want to talk to me eventually about what had happened last night. He always did when things like this occurred. Sam was sweet and all, but sometimes he acted like an over protective brother and it got on my nerves despite his good intentions. He was like Sookie in that aspect. They meant well, but their efforts got exhausting after a while.

I was just putting away a box in storage when I heard all the sound go out of the room in the bar. I frowned and dropped the box on the ground by the shelf and left the room. The customers around here never stopped talking for more then a few seconds and even when they did, it was never deathly quiet the way it was now. That couldn't have been a good thing. My heart thudded against my chest as a thought hit me that Sookie had pointed out just yesterday. Only a vampire walking in could have made the entire building go silent. And given that there were already two of them sitting with my cousin and the patrons still hadn't gone quiet, that meant that whoever walked in must have formidable. A tiny rumble erupted in my stomach, thinking, or more accurately, hoping that it was a certain tall and blond vampire. I had to see, I began walking faster down the back hallway and stumbled through the doorway that separated the back of the bar from the dinning area. My eyes scanned the silent room until they landed back on the booth where Sookie was sitting with Bill and Jessica. Except now they were joined by someone who was sitting across from them with his back to me, someone tall and dressed in black. It was him.

My heart took off like a race car and it was so loud in my ears that I was sure everyone in the building could hear it. But only he did, because he turned in his seat halfway, with his arm across the top of the booth seat, and looked straight at me. He looked even better this time around, now that I was fully conscious and able to focus. He had a smirk on his face and he looked satisfied by something that seemed to infuriate Bill and Sookie. They were both glaring at him in fury but he didn't notice or at least chose not to notice. His attention was fully on me and everyone could see it. But I didn't care for once. I only saw his face. And then he stood up and turned back to Bill and Sookie. I could see them all talking and then Sookie shaking her head while glancing at me. I watched as Eric walked away from the table, leaving Sookie to place her hand on Bill's shoulder to stop him from going after Eric. Everyone in the room was watching him stroll away towards the exit and I heard the thoughts of a few women about their curiosity over this vampire. Eric paused when he got to the doorway and turned around to face me. He nodded at me in a way that said I was supposed to follow him and then he was gone and the noise picked up again. It took me a second to gather my focus and then I walked over to the bar.

"Sam, I'm taking my break now."

I left the noise and people behind me as I stepped out the door of Merlottes and let it shut behind me. I walked down the steps and stood on the dirt ground that began the edge of the parking lot. The silence was overwhelming and soothing. I took a moment to close my eyes and breath deeply, enjoying the peacefulness of being alone. I opened my eyes again and there at the very end of the lot, stood Eric. He was waiting for me at the edge of the tree line. I couldn't help but grin as I started walking over to him, not even caring that I was about to be alone with a vampire again or that I was just passing by the spot where my attack had happened. All I could focus on was him and how his hair and skin looked in the moonlight. He looked every bit of the bad vampire that he was, but that didn't stop me from approaching him. When I was about 5 feet from him, he turned and walked into the forest and I went with him. I wasn't afraid this time because I knew he wouldn't hurt me. If he had any intention of doing that, he would have done it last night. But he didn't.

Eric only walked deep enough into the the trees so no one could disturb us and then he faced me. The smirk was still there on his lips and his eyes were looking me up and down. "Well, I see that you are back to normal."

"As normal as I can be." I responded, crossing my arm as I looked at him. I couldn't stop looking if I tried. But as good as it was to see hi, I still had enough sense to question his presence. "Why did you come here again?"

"What, no thank you or hello?" He asked, standing before me like a brick wall. "I did save your life you know."

"Yes I know. And thank you. But that doesn't answer my question." I shot back at him, not detouring from the subject. "Why are you here?"

"Not happy to see me?" He laughed, furrowing his eye brows at me and running his tongue over his teeth. Seeing him do that reminded me of the sensation of him licking my neck. And he seemed to realize that. "Cause I felt your happiness not too long after you left my bar."

"I was happy because I left your bar." I denied, watching him step closer to me. "I was happy because I wasn't around you anymore."

"No, it wasn't happiness out of relief. It was from satisfaction." He said, making another move towards me. Hearing him say that made my skin flush. I had forgotten briefly at the time that he would feel everything I felt, including my desire and urges. I was embarrassed at how turned on he had made me earlier that day and I was glad it was dark out as I was blushing like mad. He seemed to enjoy it though and came ever closer. "Did I satisfy you Allison Stackhouse?"

"Maybe." I admitted, feeling and hearing my breathing quickening as I looked up at him. God, he was gorgeous. So what the hell was he doing being interested in me? "Are you going to tell me why you came here?"

"Only to see if you were fully healed. You weren't in the office when I woke." He stated, his fingers finding my waist in the dark. "You didn't stay put."

"You never said I had to." I replied, shuddering at his touch, partially because of the coolness of his skin and partially because it was him. He was just sexual from his head to his toes, and he knew it.

"You know, next time you're not going to leave unless I give you the go ahead." He told me, moving me backwards until I felt my back connect with a tree. "I've punished people for that kind of thing."

"There won't be a next time." I managed to get out even though I hoped there would be. Despite Sookie's warnings about him, I was intrigued by Eric.

"Oh I think there will be." He whispered in my ear, moving one of his hands from my hip and slowly maneuvered it upwards, past my waist and ribcage and over the side of my breast until it came to rest on my neck. His face was still down at my level and even in the dark I could see into his eyes. He seemed to be trying to convey a message to me. "I'm a part of you now. There's no escaping me."

"And I guess I should say the same to you, since you did lick the blood off my skin." I reminded him, raising my own hands so I could touch him. "So you can't escape me either."

"I wouldn't want to. You taste too good." He said with satisfaction in his voice as he pulled back and looked down at the spot where his hand was on my neck. "You are the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. And I would like nothing more then to drink from you."

"You want to bite me?" I asked, pulling away from his face and dropping my hands from his body and tried to move away, but I was stuck against that tree. My attraction to him was halted at the thought of feeling his fangs sinking into my skin just like that other vampire had done.

"You're afraid of me. Afraid that I might kill you should I choose to fed on you. And you should be. I am over 1,000 years old and very strong. And if I wanted to, I could kill you easily." He said bluntly, gripping my neck tightly so I wouldn't go anywhere. "But I won't do that. You're of no use or amusement to me if you're dead. Which is why I saved you last night. If you weren't alive then I couldn't taste you over and over again."

"What do you want me for?" I asked, relieved that he had no plans or intentions to kill me. But still wary or what he had admitted. He did want me for something.

"There will come a time when I'm going to need your services." He explained, touching his head with one of his fingers. "I know you are like Sookie. I know what you can do."

"And I guess I don't have a choice in the matter." I stated, not knowing what was ahead of me, but I decided to worry about that when it happened. It wouldn't help if I obsessed over it right now. "Do I have a choice?"

"That remains to be seen." He smirked, bringing his hand to my cheek and running his thumb across my bottom lip, leaving a cooling sensation in it's wake. He then bent his head down until he was at my neck again. His lips were pressed against the skin right below my jaw and I thought I would burst. That is until his mouth opened and he ran his tongue over the vein in my neck at the very spot where the other vampire's fang marks used to be. I nearly melted right there,and that seemed to have the effect that he wanted. He pulled away from me with a wicked grin on his face. "I'll be seeing you."

And then, in a flash, he was gone.


	4. Trust me, trust you

**Chapter 4 Trust me, trust you**

_"You're beautiful."_

_"You're biased." I told Eric as he stood before me, his hands holding my face while his thumbs stroked my cheeks._

_"Don't you trust my word?" He asked, his fingers moving under my hair and pulling it to the side so my neck was exposed._

_"Not really. You haven't exactly been the most trust worthy in the past."I said, laughing when his fingers tickled my skin. "So why should that change now?"_

_"I'm apart of you, so you should trust me more then anyone." He insisted, his hands moving down my body in a painstakingly slow way. It almost drove me crazy and he could tell because he kept doing it._

_"I have too much evidence to the contrary to trust you. So you're going to have to do better then just saying it. You have to prove it." I replied, dropping my arms to the side and attempting to step back from him, but his hands kept me in place._

_"You don't think I'm going to let you get away that easily do yo?" He questioned with a smirk on his perfectly sexy face. The way he was looking at me, made shivers run down my spine. And that look meant that he had one thing in mind. "Or perhaps you were mistaken that I am a good vampire."_

_"I guess you're not." I agreed, fighting the smile that threatened to take over my face as he looked down at me. He was so irresistible that I just had to touch him. My hands rose in the air until they came in contact with his face and then they stopped. I ran my fingers across his lips and he opened his mouth to show that his fangs had shot out. I swallowed hard at the sight and tried to remember that he wouldn't hurt me. I hesitantly touched the tip of my finger to one of his fangs and he applied pressure for just the end to puncture the top layer of my skin to draw blood. I watched his face to see if just the small droplet would create a frenzy that he couldn't control, but I was surprised to see his fangs retract into his mouth and he simply took my finger onto his lips and sucked on it as gently as if he were kissing me. I was shocked to see this side of him. "I thought the first time you drank from me you would have actually bitten me."_

_"Oh I will." Eric responded, pulling back slightly. "It's all part of the excitement. Start off small and then move up. Unless you would rather have me bite you now. Because I wouldn't object to that."_

_"I don't think so." I shook my head quickly, so hard that my hair smacked me in the face. "That is not going to happen."_

_"Then allow me to get my satisfaction in other ways." He said with a smirk on his face that mirrored the smile on my lips. He brought his hands down to my hips and pulled up against him so I could feel his desire. Our eyes met at the same time and he asked, "Shall we?"_

_"Yes." I could barely whisper as he immediately swooped me up into his arms and started carrying me away towards his office. I had my arms wrapped around his neck and leaned in close to him and closed my eyes. He smelt so good to me, despite being a vampire. It was a cross between the most masculine scent and the smell of the best meal in the world. I could never get tired of it._

_We reached his office in the briefest of seconds and he kicked the door shut with his foot and easily flipped the lock with one hand while still holding me up. He set me down on top of his desk and before I could say a word, he captured my lips with his. I couldn't even describe the sensation I felt in my body when his mouth was on mine. It was the most racing and intense rush I had ever felt. Nothing compared to it. Every other kiss I had in my life didn't measure up even the slightest. And that was just from his kiss. When he put his hands on my waist and started pulling my t-shirt upwards, I was sure my heart would explode right out of my chest. I felt the draft from the air conditioner hit my skin as he pulled my shirt off and dropped it on the floor by his desk. I didn't feel self conscious at all under his gaze, which I expected I would, but I didn't. And it didn't matter if did, because I didn't have time to be shy. Things were moving fast, not vampire fast,, just fast. While he leaned down to turn his attention to my neck, I took the opportunity to do some exploring of my own. My hands traveled over to his waist and I began pulling his tucked in shirt out of the top of his black pants. My fingers brushed against his cold skin and made their way up his body, touching him so lightly that I wasn't sure he could even feel it. But I heard a moan come from deep inside his throat and that confirmed that he could indeed feel everything I was doing to him. And hearing his satisfied noises just spurred me to want to move faster._

_"How is that we make it all day without doing this?" He wanted to know, pulling away so he could straighten up and pull his shirt off. I was temporary taken back by his sculpted chest and arms. It was the same reaction every time he was half naked in front of me. He was too perfect to ever be dressed._

_"We have no choice but to take breaks in between this." I said in between grabbing his face for another kiss and wrapping my legs around his waist. "I need to sleep at night and you need to sleep during the day."_

_"Details details." He smirked, pulling on my hair so my head fell back and he could see my neck more clearly. "Eventually we are going to make a marathon of this. Hope you have great endurance."_

_"I think I can keep up." I grinned, closing my eyes in ecstasy as his tongue ran up the length of my neck. I loved when he did this. And he knew it too. This my equivalent to him biting me. I loved when his tongue was on my skin just liked he would have loved it, if I allowed him to bite me. I thought about it. It probably wouldn't hurt as much as I thought it would. There would be pain, but I had felt worse. And it was Eric. He would do it in a way that I'm sure wouldn't be unbearable. I trusted him more then I had admitted out loud and maybe I should show it. If I trusted him enough to be intimate with him, then I should trust him enough to know he won't kill me if he bit me. I pushed him back, placing my hands flat on his bare chest to keep him away._

_"Why'd you stop me?" He asked, his face only inches from mine. I didn't answer him. Instead, I put my hand under my hair and pulled it over one shoulder and turned my head to the side so the side of my throat was in front of him._

_"Go ahead." I said simply, waiting for him to sink his fangs into my neck. I felt his hands grip my shoulders as if to hold me in place. He seemed to be hesitating, as if he wasn't convinced that I was serious. I brought my hand back up to his face and pulled him forward until his lips were right against the vein in my throat. "I mean it. You can feed on me. It's ok."_

_The next second, I heard his fangs come back out. And the second after that, I felt them pierce my skin..._

* * *

I shot up in my bed like a rocket with my eyes open wide, my long dark hair falling in my face, and my hand clasped over my racing heart as I tried to calm my self down. Holy crap! I cannot believe I had just had a dream about Eric Northman. And not just any dream, but a sexual dream at that. I never fantasized like that about anyone. I mean, sure I has some naughty dreams, but they never got that far and they certainly never involved sex with a vampire. Or allowing them to bite me. That was new and strange. And although my heart was beating frantically, it wasn't out of stress or fear. I was still as vividly turned on when I was awake as I was in my dream. I felt it in my bones and in my blood. It was that strong of a reaction that it carried over into reality. And as I sat there thinking about it, it occurred to me that Eric was feeling what was going through my body at that very moment. I groaned and covered my eyes with my hands. I felt embarrassed that he was feeling my satisfaction again. And there was a good chance that he would call me on it the next time we ran into each other. After all, he did make a comment on it the last time.

"Now that was an interesting start to the day." I said to myself, as I threw back the covers and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I looked out the window to see the sun was shinning brightly on the morning and I grinned at that. It was the perfect time to go for a run and it was my day off so I had the liberty to do it. Running usually got my mind back on track. And after that dream, I certainly need to have my mind anywhere but in the gutter. But it was hard to drop the remnants of that fantasy as I climbed out of bed.

I walked over to my dresser and began rummaging through the drawers for a pair of shorts and a tank top and while I pulled them on, my thoughts slipped back to the memory of a half naked Eric. He was just so indescribably perfect in my dream and I imagined that he would look just like that in person. Not that I was seriously considering having sex with him. Ok, maybe I was, but that was only natural. I was 23 and I was going to be having these thoughts about someone. Although it un-nerved me a little to think about having sex with someone who had so many years to perfect it. And I was so inexperienced when it came to matters of love and sex that I wouldn't want to be a disappointment to him. Or more accurately, I wouldn't want to feel the embarrassment that would surely come when he saw that I lacked the skills to be a good lover. Because the truth was that I didn't know how to do that. I didn't know how to be sexual and flirtatious like I was in my dream. That wasn't how I was and I didn't know to change that. I didn't know how to touch a man, or in Eric's case, touch a vampire, in a way that drove them wild with desire. I was in my early twenties and still very much a virgin. It wasn't due to religion, or fear of intimacy. I just never met anyone who made me think of sex or made me desire them in a sexual way. So I just never lost my virginity. And not many people knew that about me. In fact, only Sookie knew I was a virgin. Everyone else figured I must have done it at least once or twice since I was already 23 years old. But only she knew the truth and I asked her to keep it to herself and of course she did. And I never really thought about it. Until now.

"I need to get out of here." I muttered, pulling my hair back at the base of my neck and didn't even bothering with makeup. I didn't need it and I would have sweated it off anyway once I started running. I sat down on the floor to pull on some socks and my favorite pair of sneakers that I always wore when I worked out. I quickly stood up and headed downstairs. I didn't hear any noise coming from the house and I breathed a sigh of relief. That meant Sookie had already left for work and that was something I was thankful for. She would have asked questions if she saw the look on my face and I wasn't quite ready to explain it.

I left through the front door and made sure to lock it behind me before heading down the porch steps. Once my feet hit the ground, I took off running at a slow but steady jog. I felt the familiar pull in my muscles that I enjoyed whenever I was able to get time to myself like this. It was calming and nice and I didn't get to do it as much as I would like to with all the time I spent working. So on days off when I didn't have errands to do, I went running and spent time with my own thoughts.

I felt the sun on my shoulders and my long ponytail tickled my back as it bounced against my body. The trees offered a good deal of shade when I turned onto to a dirt road and I felt a calmness in my head which I welcomed after the confusing night I had. That dream had unsettled me a bit. It threw me off kilter and I wasn't exactly sure how to get back on track. It was strange enough to be dreaming of sex with someone. And it on a whole nother level of strange when that someone was Eric. I couldn't go there. There was too much of a past between him and Sookie and Bill. But despite knowing that, I couldn't help but let in the desire to want to see him again. And that made me nervous. I just needed a second or two to make sense of what I was feeling. But at the moment I felt a huge desire to just avoid it all. And that's what I was going to do.

**

* * *

**

**30 minutes later...**

"You look like you've been running to avoid thinking about something." A deep voice questioned in amusement as I stood up straight and wiped the sweat from my face.

"I suppose you could say that." I answered, looking down at my boss who was currently standing completely naked in the water below me. After I had left my house, I had allowed my mind to wander as I ran and I wasn't quite attentive to where I was going. I had just let my feet take me to wherever they wanted. And by the time I was finally able to focus, I had ended up at a small lake where I inadvertently stumbled upon Sam in all his glory. At first I was embarrassed to see him with no clothes on since he was my boss, but then I remembered it's not like this was the first time it has happened. Ever since Sam divulged his secret to Sookie and I, I had seen him in the nude more times then I cared to by accident. So it wasn't the worse thing to walk in on. He probably wasn't expecting me to see him like that either.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, swimming through the slightly darkened water to the dock where I was sitting down on.

"Not really, because I already know what you're going to say." I muttered, drawing my knees up to my chest and setting my chin down on top of them.

"Did you read my mind?" He asked, with a small frown. He always seemed to want Sookie to try and read his mind and he never had a problem with it. But he did mind when it came to me doing it.

"I didn't have to read your mind to know what you would say about this." I told him, pushing my sweaty hair away from my eyes. "I know how you feel about the whole Eric thing and I frankly don't need to hear anymore shit about what happened."

"Well it wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do Allison." He pointed out and I waved my hand to make him stop talking and he did. Although by the look in his eyes, he wanted to say more, but I refused to let him.

"I don't want to hear it. I don't need another person telling me how stupid and idiotic I was. And if that's what you are going to say then I am leaving right now." I snapped, uncrossing my legs so I could stand up, but Sam grabbed my ankle so I couldn't go anywhere.

"You may not want to hear it but I'm going to say it anyway. And maybe eventually it will get through to you." He said, wrinkles appearing in his forehead. "You made a big mistake by tying yourself to that vampire. Perhaps the biggest mistake you have ever made."

"That's where you're wrong. I didn't screw up and I refuse to say that I did." I shot back, pulling my leg away from him.

"I never said you screwed up."

"Well, that's what I'm getting from the way you are saying it. And that may be your opinion but you're wrong..." I tried to say, but Sam was the one to cut me off this time.

"No you are wrong. And you're always going to be wrong for drinking a vampire's blood. That's so incredibly stupid that I can't believe it." He told me, his hands curling into tight fists on the dock. His statement was so utterly hypocritical that I started laughing sarcastically.

"Oh that's hilarious coming from you." I sneered, standing up with my arms crossed. "Aren't you the one who also drank a vampire's blood to stay alive?"

"Yea, but that's different..."

"No. it's not different and you know it. You and everyone else are justletting your past judgment dictate the present situation and I'm not going to stay here and listen to it." I told him, shaking my head ,knowing that I was in the right. "If you were my friend, then you would stand by me. But obviously that is impossible for you to do."

"Because you're wrong. And you refuse to admit it!" Sam exclaimed, pushing himself out of the water and on to the dock, not even caring that his entire body was now on display. He stomped over and grabbed my by the arms. "You did something stupid that you can't take back. And now I get the feeling that you won't stay away from him. And I'm not going to stand by and watch you ruin everything."

"What are you saying?" I asked, feeling like something bad was about to happen.

"Eric is interested in you and now that he has his claim in your life, he's coming around a lot more often in my bar and I can't allow that. I don't want him around and now that he seems to like you, he will always be lurking somewhere in the shadows." He explained gruffly, a frown settling on his handsome face

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Send him away. Tell him not to come around."

"I can't do much to make him stay away from the bar. He's a vampire and I'm a human. I'm not exactly a match for him." I told Sam, trying to sound logical, but he wasn't in the mood for logical it seemed.

"Well try something. You need to do something, because if you don't try then I don't know what else to do."

"Are you firing me?" I felt something devastating rock my body as those words left my mouth. I never thought I would have to even think about Sam letting me go from his staff. That never even entered my mind because we had been so close and worked well together. How had it come to this? "Are you?"

"What? No!" He shook me hard enough for my hair to come loose and fall down my back like a heavy curtain. "I'm not firing you. I just need you to keep your distance from Eric..."

"I can't do that Sam." I said, freeing myself from his hands. I had to step away from him so I could make sense of things. My heart was pounding rapidly as I tried to slow down my thoughts. I couldn't even look at him when I spoke again. "I like him, Sam. I can't help it."

"Why do you Stackhouse girls always have to like the wrong things?" He shouted, his voice echoing into the trees around the lake. He turned away from me to regain his composure before looking over his shoulder. "You may work for me, but you're my friend first and foremost. And I need you to not want to be around this guy."

"That's not something I can do. I'm sorry." I bowed my head at that moment because I could see the hurt in his eyes and there was only so much of that, that I could take without breaking down. I hated hurting him. "Please try and understand."

"I can't. And I'm sorry too Allison. But I can't understand this. And I can't let your feelings or interest in this vampire jeopardize my business." He said sighing heavily, his hand running through his dirty blonde hair. He looked at me for the briefest of seconds and then shook his head and walked passed me without another look. "I know I said I wouldn't do this. But I have no choice. I have to fire you."

"No." I cried softly but he didn't hear me and kept on walking. I heard a popping sound and knew he had shifted into something so he could get away without being conspicuous. And I was left there standing alone. I didn't want to believe what had just happened, but I knew it had. Sam had fired me and left our friendship hanging in the balance. I didn't feel much of anything at the moment. Until a tear slipped down my cheek an unleashed a flood-gate of pain that hit me all at once. And I didn't know where to go from here. Except for the over whelming desire to go back home and hide in my bed like I was 5 years old again.

So that's what I was going to do.

* * *

**2 hours later...**

_"...This is Allison Stackhouse. I can't talk at the moment, but if you leave a message then I will think about getting back to you. Just kidding, I always return messages. Here comes the beep..."_

"What the heck is going on?" Sookie muttered to herself as she stood in Sam's office and looked down at her shut cell phone. She had been trying to call her cousin for the past few minutes and she had not gotten very far. Allie wasn't picking up the house phone and she wasn't answering her cell. And that was very strange for her since she always answered a ringing telephone. So something may be wrong. She didn't think Allie was in danger, but she did think something was going on. She sighed, and stuffed her cell back in her bag. She would have to take care of that later.

"Why the long face Sookie?" Terry asked as he was passing by the open doorway with a box in his arms.

"Nothing really. I'm just trying to get in touch with Allison, and she's not picking up. And that's making me worry. She never just not answers her phone" Sookie answered, re-tying her apron around her waist as she walked towards the door. "Do you ever get the feeling that something is wrong and you just couldn't figure out what?"

"I get that feeling a lot. But it's usually because I missed taking my medication." He said, a thoughtful look on his face. "But I'm going to guess that you're not exactly thinking the same thing as me."

"No, not exactly." Sookie laughed, her mood lifting a little bit at Terry's eccentric-ness. "Have you seen Sam? I think I might ask him to let me leave for a few minutes so I can go check the house."

"I've seen him, but I wouldn't go near him." Terry told her, scratching his head with his free hand.

"Why would you say that? Is he in a bad mood or something?" Sookie asked, knowing that he probably was. Sam always was in a bad mood these days.

"He just seems like he is really angry and I wouldn't want him to take that out on you." Terry admitted.

"I'll be ok." Sookie said, walking past him and towards the bar area where it was starting to fill up for the night. She looked around for a second and then spotted her boss through the window in the parking lot where he seemed to be pacing around. She called out to Arlene to watch her area, and then scurried through the exit and outside toward the spot where he was. When she approached him, he barely looked up at her and that made her concerned for him now too. "Sam, are you ok?"

"Don't ask me if I'm ok. I don't deserve that." He mumbled, sitting down on the back of his jeep and set his hands on his knees. He looked up at the sky and his eyes squinted from the rays of the setting sun. "i did something bad."

"What did you do?" Sookie asked, putting aside her worry for her cousin and focused on him. She sat down next to him and placed her hand on his arm. "Sam, tell me what's going on?"

"I can't. I can't tell you." He replied, looking tormented. "It's so crazy that you're going to hate me."

"Ok, that is what is crazy. You're one of my best friends." Sookie let him know, hoping it would cheer him up. "There is nothing you could possibly tell me that would make me hate you."

"Give it a minute and you will be saying differently." Sam huffed, shaking his head. "It has to do with Allison."

"Funny, I was just about to ask you to let me leave for 20 minutes to go find her." Sookie told him, frowning that her cousin was what had him in a mood.

"What do you mean find her?" He asked, looking concerned

"She's not picking up the house phone or her cell phone and that's not normal. And I'm kind of thinking that something is wrong." Sookie explained to him, digging her sneakers into the dirt. "That's why I want to go to the house and see if she left a note at least."

"I kind of know what is wrong." Sam retorted with a grimace. He turned his head to look at her. "I kind of screwed up this after noon and Allie got caught in the cross-fire."

"Sam, what did you do?" Sookie questioned, feeling apprehension fall over her.

"It happened so suddenly..."

**

* * *

**

**3 hours later...**

"Oh I must be out of my mind." I said to myself as I passed through the front doors of Fangtasia and kept my eyes straight ahead of me so I wouldn't meet the eyes of any vampires that might try and pick me up. I didn't need any trouble, and I certainly didn't need to create a scene. I had a mission and my attention was on finding only one man. Or in this case, vampire.

After getting fired by Sam, I had returned back to the empty house and crawled into the shower to wash off the sweat from my body. And when I emerged, I had to lock myself in my room so I could let out my emotions without being interrupted. And I did just that. I had cried on the floor of my room for hours on end, not noticing anything else going on. The only thing that I could focus on were the hot tears rolling down my face and wetting the wood floor under my head. I thought I wouldn't be able to stop, I was just so upset. I never knew how much I had liked working at Merlottes until he suddenly took it away. And all because I refused to stop liking someone that he didn't like. Weren't friends supposed to stand by you no matter what? That's how I thought it was supposed to be, but it obviously did not go in that direction. And after I finally stopped crying, I laid there on the floor and stared at the ceiling fan as it went round and round. I was feeling an urge to get out of that room and that house. So that's what I planned to do. I pulled myself up to my feet and over to the closet to find something to wear and when I was finally dressed and pleased with how I looked, I grabbed my keys and got in my car. I was determined to throw caution to the wind. And that's what had led me here to Fangtasia. I was here to see Eric.

The moment I stepped foot into the main room, I felt like all eyes had turned towards me. I knew I stood out, just by being a human amongst vampires. But I also stood out in the color I had chosen to wear. Most of the crowd was wearing black and that included the other humans. I guess they wanted to blend in as best as they could. And in that much dark clothing, I was standing out as if I were a flame burning in the darkest of nights. I looked down and regretted wearing the short red dress that only had a thin strap going over each shoulder. To anyone else, it was a nice, beautiful dress. But in a vampire bar, I was looking like the main course with so much skin exposed, at least I had worn my hair down. So I was nervous walking in, but I knew that if anything were to happen, then Eric would feel it instantly and be at my side to save me. I tried to keep my eyes at the floor, but I couldn't help but be curious by the people around me. I saw all kinds of people, of every shape and color and gender and of every age. But as I turned my head and scanned the room, my eyes landed on the back corner to where a platform was raised slightly off the ground and a chair was set in top of it. It was occupied by the object of the very vampire I had been looking for.

Eric's eyes met mine and there was the tiniest hint of confusion there, but it was quickly replaced by a smirk as he stood up from the chair. The rest of the occupants parted like the sea when he stepped down onto the floor and began walking over to me. They all turned in my direction and I felt like there was a huge spotlight on me just from the way Eric was looking at me as he moved. But I guess they were all curious about the human who had this superior vampire's attention. I could even see a few jealous stares from other women come my way as Eric stood in front of me with that familiar smirk on his face. He didn't say anything and neither did I. He just placed his strong arm around my waist and steered my towards a door beside the bar and we both passed through it and left the noise of the club behind and stepped into his office. Once we were inside, he locked the door behind him and leaned against it with his arms crossed. "To what do I owe for this interesting surprise?"

"I needed to ask you something and I wasn't sure when I was going to see you again." I told him, standing by his desk and set my bag down on top of it. I felt a slight flush come over just from looking at this piece of furniture. It obviously brought back the dream I had of Eric from the night before. And with him being in the same room, it made me flustered and I didn't know how to proceed. "I uh...I...um..."

"Are we distracted Allison Stackhouse?" He questioned, moving off the door and standing straight up to his full height. "Could that be due to anything involving me?"

"Maybe it does." I said, snapping out of it and regaining my composure enough to narrow my eyes at him. "Stop trying to distract me with your questions. Im trying to be serious here. or do you not know what that means?"

"You're fiesty tonight. And I have to say that I like it." Eric continnued to work that annoying smirk of his and i was finding it hard to keep up my stern facade.

"I mean it. I came here for a reason and I wouldn't have done that if it wasn't important." I told him, brushing my hair back and watching his eyes grow slightly when my neck was exposed. I quickly covered it again and tilted my head back. "Can you at least give me 5 minutes of your time?"

"I might be able to do that. if you agree to let me do something first." His lips curled even more tightly then before as he spoke. "And then you have my un-divided attention."

"Fine, you can go first, as long as it doen't involve biting me." I relented, shaking my head and looking down at the ground, wondering what it was that he wanted to do.

But i didn't have long to think about it. Eric was in front of my before I could even blink twice. He instantly had one arm around my waist and his free hand was on the front of my throat. He had a frenzied look in his eyes that made me think he was going to go back on his word and indeed bite me. And i couldnt stop him. I put myself in this position and now had to accept what came. But what came next, threw me for a major loop. One minute his face was above me, and then next it came closer and he kissed me.


	5. Kisses and screams

**Chapter 5 Kisses and screams**

I thought I was going to die.

I couldn't breathe.

My heart felt like it was going to shatter into a million little pieces.

I couldn't feel anything around me.

Except for him. And his mouth on mine.

When Eric first kissed me, I wasn't expecting to feel much of anything. In fact, I didn't think I would feel anything at all. Sure I had fantasized about him, but those were just dreams. They weren't reality. So I wasn't prepared for the rush that hit me as soon as his mouth touched mine. There were no words to describe it. My mind had gone blank and my body seemed to have no control at all, because as he moved his hands up to my face, I grabbed onto him a lot tighter then I intended to. Of course I lacked the strength to actually move him. But he got the idea and pressed himself against me, causing me to shiver and not from the temperature of his body. He was solid as a rock, but it didn't feel uncomfortable when he moved against my body, pushing me backwards over the desk. In fact, it was quite exciting. It was really the first time that I had been this physically close to a man and I wanted to explore more. But I was too distracted by his lips to give much thought to going further. I could kiss him forever and be happy. That's how intoxicating it was. I felt my mouth pull up into a smile and I ran my hands up his waist and over his chest, wanting to feel every part of him. I hadn't felt such desire for anyone, let alone a vampire. It was all new to me and I wondered if he could tell by the hesitation in my nerves. My fingers touched his hard chest and roamed over his shoulders, stopping at his neck and my hands locked themselves around it. I wanted to hold onto him as tightly as I could. I don't know why, I just did. I almost didn't want this to stop and I didn't even flinch when his hand passed my neck and slipped the strap of my dress over my shoulder. But when he tried to tug the dress off of me, that's when I came to my senses and remembered my reason for coming here. I pulled my face away from him and dropped my hands from his neck, waiting for him to do the same. When he finally stepped back, he didn't look too happy at being stopped, but I didn't care. I couldn't allow myself to get carried away like this. I couldn't.

"I hope you have a good reason for cutting me off." He asked, his voice dangerously soft as he looked down at me. I lost my will to speak for a second, not sure what to say or do to erase that frustration in his eyes.

"I um, I came here for a specific purpose." I managed to stutter, moving off the desk and walking away from him, making sure to pull the strap of my dress back up on my shoulder. I pulled my hair forward, covering my neck so he wouldn't be distracted and then turned back around, ready to make my case. "You made a mess of things for me."

"Oh really?" He asked, not seeming too interested and moved around until he was seated in his desk chair. "And how did I do that?"

"Well first off, you keep showing up everywhere I am, most of the time at my work..."

"Don't pretend you don't enjoy that." Eric retorted, smirking that annoying smile of his that sent shivers down my back. "It gives you great pleasure to see me walk through that door."

"That's not the point." I said, not denying the fact that he was right. "The point is that every time you show up, you anger my boss and this time he and I fought about it. And Sam and I do not argue ever. But ever since you became a part of my life, he is more short tempered then he has ever been. And just today he did something I never thought he would do."

"Get to the point." Eric ordered, his face holding a bored look as perused a pile of papers on his desk.

"He fired me!" I snapped, feeling frustrated that he wasn't taking this seriously. "He fired me because of you. Because I refused to stay away from you. He didn't want you to be coming into the bar and told me to do whatever I had to do to make that happen. And when I said I couldn't, he fired me. And it's all your fault."

"And this is a bad thing?" He questioned, leaning back in his seat and twisting the chair back and forth. He didn't seem to understand what was so bad about the situation. "You didn't belong in a small town bar anyway. It's not your style."

"And you know what my style is?" I laughed sarcastically, crossing my arms with a glare. "You don't even know me."

"I have a feeling that I will know a lot more about you in the coming weeks and months." Eric sneered, his lips twisting into an almost crazy smile. He brought his hands together and tilted his head to the side in thought. "Now that you made your point, shall we return to our previously scheduled activities?"

"I'm not done yet." I almost shouted, feeling a strange burst of courage fill me up and giving me the guts to speak to a vampire like this. Eric didn't seem angered by my outburst, in fact, he appeared to be intrigued, as if my emotion amused him. "You got me fired. And you're going to fix it."

"And how will I do that?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Oh that is easy." I replied with a smirk of my own. I walked up to the front of the desk and placed my hands flat on it's surface, looking him dead in the eye. "You're going to give me a job. Here."

"You want me to hire you at Fangtasia." He said as more of a statement then a question.

"Yes, I just so happened to be looking through the newspaper before I came here and noticed you had placed an ad for a book-keeper/ manager. So I am asking you to give me the job." I told him, standing up straight and watching his face for any sign of confirmation. I didn't know what to expect from him after spitting out my request, but I was prepared to do what I had to do to get this job. Eric was responsible for me being unemployed, and he was going to correct that.

"And if I don't hire you, what then?" He asked curiously, leaning forward and propping his elbows on the desktop. "What will you do to punish me for that?"

"Oh it's simple." I said, walking around the side of the desk and stood in front of him. My hand reached out and touched his shoulder and he pivoted in his chair to face me, his own hand grabbing my wrist. Once I had his attention, I continued. "If you refuse to give me the job. Then I will simply deny you what you want."

"And that would be..."

"Everything. My body, my blood and more importantly...me." I said quietly, fighting the urge to smile when his face twisted in anger at my ultimatum. I tended to have that effect on people when I dug my heels in. I didn't usually put up a fight and just let things happen. But I could grow a backbone with the best of them when I needed to. And this situation called for me to be more assertive then my normal nature was. I had to pull out all the stops. "I would deny you from ever having me."

"I could always glamor you into submission." Eric smirked, standing up to his full height and I was forced to take a step back. He used his strength to push me clear across the room and into a wall where he trapped me between his arms. His eyes narrowed, looking deep into my own. His face was slightly contorted in concentration and his hands gripped my shoulders tightly. Sookie told me what to expect when a vampire tried to use glamor to get their way and I prepared myself for what was to come, since I knew I couldn't fight it off. "Can you feel my influence?"

"Uh, not really." I replied, waiting for the moment when my mind ceased to be my own, but it never came. Eric looked at me and I looked at him. His eyes were still staring hard into mine and I stood there thinking that at any moment, it was going to happen. He was going to use his power and force me to do whatever he wanted me to do and I wouldn't be able to fight it. Any minute now it was going to take over. I waited and stared at Eric since that was what he was doing with me. But nothing weird ever entered my mind. I was still me and I wondered if Eric was even trying to take my mind. "So, when are you going to try this glamor thing?"

"I'm doing it right now." He murmured, his eyes narrowing even more. "You're going to stop talking right now."

"I think you're out of practice." I told him, shrugging my shoulders and tilting my head. "I don't think it works on me."

"Damn it!" He exclaimed, dropping his hands from my body and shoving his fist into the wall beside my head so quickly that I didn't have any time to tense up. "What the fuck is wrong with you Stackhouse women?"

"You're one to talk about being fucked up. You are a vampire after all." I pointed out, slipping out from under his arms and moving a few feet away. I clenched my hands together and watched his pull his arm out of the wall and turn around to look at me. "So, will you hire me?"

"Hire you? And keep you hidden back here doing paperwork every night? I don't think so." He heckled and walked forward until he was in front of me again. "No I think you should be out there as one of the dancers."

"You mean be a stripper? Keep dreaming..."

"Oh I will."

"There is no way I will be degrading myself by dancing out there on a pole. So you can kiss that idea goodbye." I snapped, feeling insulted that he would even suggest that. "It's either my way or not at all. Your choice."

"You humans can be very stubborn when you want to get your way." Eric stated, the amusement returning to his voice. He looked down at me and reached his hand up to run his thumb over my bottom lip. "Fine, we'll do things your way. At least for now."

"See?" I raised my hands in the air. "That wasn't so hard."

"Oh you have no idea." He smirked, his hand now cupping my face and his other arm sneaking around my waist. "I have a feeling that you're going to be bad for business."

"Not me. I am excellent at handling business. I graduated from college with a degree in business management." I shot back, grinning when he directed me backwards until I was against the desk again. I ran my hands up his strong arms and down the front of his chest. His body was so sexy and I couldn't stop myself from touching him. "But I also have a feeling that you are going to be bad for my life."

"Does that make you reconsider?"

"Not at all. Just makes things exciting."

* * *

"Allison Stackhouse, you are going to be in so much trouble when you come back from wherever you are." Sookie muttered as she sat on the swing on her front porch and set her cell phone on the railing before she leaned back and looked out at the night sky. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself as she thought about her younger cousin's refusal to pick up the phone. She wasn't mad at Allie, the poor girl was probably just off somewhere clearing her head. No, she was mad at Sam Merlotte.

How could he do what he did? After all the years of him knowing their family and befriending both her and her cousin, it was crazy to think he would throw it all away over something as stupid and petty as Eric Northman. Sure she could understand the pressure Sam was feeling. He had his business to think of and Eric Northman tended to attract a lot of trouble and if Eric came to Merlottes all the time, then trouble would come into Sam's business. Sookie could see that and she could understand that. But that did not mean that she liked it. In fact she hated it. And she hated Sam for putting business before friendship and family. Yes, she considered Sam family. They had been friends for so long that she couldn't even just say they were co-workers. It was more then that, so much more. Which was why it was so infuriating that Sam would fire the girl he always said was like a sister to him. She didn't know how he could have done that. Businesses could always be rebuilt. But friendships, once broken and scarred, couldn't always be fixed.

"Can we talk?" Came a deep sounding voice from the porch steps and she turned her head to see Sam himself walking across the porch towards her. She didn't say anything when he sat down next to her and just stared straight ahead, intent on ignoring him like she had earlier that day. "I guess you're still mad at me."

"I'm not mad." Was her calm reply.

"You're not?" He sounded guarded and confused.

"No." She said, standing up with her arms crossed and stood against the railing of the porch and looked at him. "I am livid, boiling, pissed beyond all hell. So no, I am not mad. Just ready to kill you."

"Ok I guess I deserved that." Sam said with a sigh, leaning forward with his arms propped up on his knees. "But you have to understand where I am coming from."

"Don't do that." Sookie found herself snapping at him, forcing him to lift his head to look at her. "Don't try and make me feel sorry for you for something that you didn't have to do."

"I did have to do it. I didn't have a choice." Sam protested in annoyance. "She was going to endanger my business and I couldn't let that happen."

"Fuck business!" Sookie exclaimed, staring at the man in pure fury. "Business is not as important as your friends."

"You think I don't know that?" He asked her, a heaviness in his voice. "You think I don't feel bad about what I had to do?"

"I don't know. You look kind of pleased with yourself at the moment." Sookie shot back with a glare on her face.

"Come on Sookie." Sam pleaded almost pathetically and she had to look away so not to see the sad look he was giving her. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you or Allison. And I certainly wouldn't be happy about it if I did do it."

"But you did hurt her Sam. She loved working at the bar and you took that away from her over something that could have been easily resolved..." Sookie tried to say but Sam interrupted her.

"And how else would I have stopped that Vampire from coming into my bar?" He asked, looking frustrated. "He was only showing up because she was there. And if she isn't there, then he won't be either."

"So you would rather fire someone you care about then deal with a few appearances by Eric?" She threw at him, not expecting much of a response. "I could have talked to him and made him see things your way. But you didn't give me a chance to do that. You just went ahead and ruined things without thinking. And now everyone is hurt. And it's because of you."

"How did I hurt you? I didn't do anything to you." Sam snapped, standing up with his hands on his hips.

"Are you kidding me, Sam Merlotte? Are you fucking kidding me?" Sookie asked quietly, biting down on her lower lip to stop it from shaking.

"No I'm not kidding. You keep throwing around all this crap of other people being hurt by me firing Allison. But I don't see it." He shouted out onto the empty porch. "You keep looking at me with this hurt look on your face but I didn't hurt you. I hurt Allison."

"Exactly Sam, you hurt Allison." She cried, a few tears escaping her eyes and rolling down her checks. "She's my family, Sam. She's my cousin but she's more like my sister. And you know that is how I feel about it. And besides Jason, she is the only family I have left. She's like a half of me. So when she hurts, I hurt. And by you hurting her like this, it makes me feel like you did this to me too."

"Oh Sookie." Sam said, the anger and annoyance leaving his voice. He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You know I would never want to purposely bring more pain into your life."

"Then don't let it happen." She told him, looking up at his face in earnest. "When Allie comes home, tell her you were out of your mind when you said you were firing her. Tell her you had a chemical imbalance or something. But you're fine now and you don't want her to leave the bar."

"Look, you know I love you. And I love Allison too. But I need to stick to my instincts." He said, squeezing her shoulders tightly. "I'm not backing down on this. I can't, I'm sorry."

"Get out of here." Was all she could manage to say. She shook his hands off her and stepped back.

"What?"

"You heard me. Get out of here. Get off my porch and off my property." She told him, not even able to look at his face anymore. She wouldn't have recognized it if she did.

"Sookie, don't be like this."

"You don't get to tell me how to be. Not after this." She snapped at him and pointed towards his car. "Now leave."

"Sookie, come on..." Sam started to say when he began walking towards her but he was silenced when a flash blurred by Sookie and slammed Sam against the side of the house.

"I believe the lady asked nicely for you to leave." Bill said, his voice dangerously soft while he had his arm locked across Sam's chest, keeping him in place. "Now kindly see yourself off the premise."

"Get your hands off me. I'm going." Sam shouted in Bill's face and glared at him when the vampire released him. He walked down the porch steps and over to his car without saying another word or even looking back. Sookie and Bill stood on the porch together and watched Sam drive away down the dirt road and when he was out of sight and there was silence in the air, they turned towards each other and smiled.

"Thank you." Sookie told him simply and went to him when he opened his arms to her. She laid her cheek against his hard chest and closed her eyes in satisfaction. Being with her fiancee always soothed her nerves and right now was no different. "There was never a more perfect moment for you to show up then right now."

"I felt your frustration and got here as soon as I could." Bill replied, stroking her hair with his cool fingers. "Are you alright?"

"I'm as ok as I can be." Sookie whispered, tilting her head back to look her fiancee in the eye. "I'm so mad at him, so so mad. How could he react this way?"

"He's human. And male. Not a good combination." Bill joked, bringing on a laugh from Sookie. That even made Bill grin and lean forward to kiss her. "It will all turn out alright."

"I hope that's true." Sookie sighed, holding Bill close to her. "Now all I need is for Allison to come home."

* * *

"Wow. What a night. How could anyone not like Eric Northman?" I asked myself with a twisted grin as I tumbled out of my car and practically stumbled the entire way up to the house. I swung my small bag in one of my hands while my fingers touched my swollen lips, giggling like a teenager as I remembered how I got them. I was so caught up in the memory of the night that I barely even paid attention to where I was headed and almost walked into an overgrown bush. I paused for a second and then turned my body towards the porch and tiptoed quietly up them. I couldn't help it and smirked and sighed out of happiness, it was my first positive feeling of the day. And all thanks to Mr. Northman. "He really knows how to kiss."

"Who does?" Sookie's voice asked the moment I set foot into the house. I reached over and flicked on the hallway light and saw my cousin standing in the living room off to the side waiting for me. Sookie looked slightly annoyed, but more relieved to see me. She walked across the floor and immediately hugged me as if I had been gone on a long trip. And once I hugged her back, she looked at me and narrowed her eyes. "Where have you been Allison? And who have you been kissing?"

"I knew I would have to explain myself when I came home. But I was hoping you would be asleep or out with Bill when I returned." I said, laughing nervously as we both entered the living room and sat on opposite ends of the couch.

"I was with Bill, but I told him to leave because I wanted to talk to you privately." Sookie explained, toying with her blonde hair. "It has to do with the whole Sam situation. And I assume that's why you were unreachable all day."

"Pretty much." I agreed, grimacing slightly as I was reminded of the events of the day. "Did Sam talk to you?"

"Yes, today at work. I found him out back by his car and he looked distracted and when I asked him why, he told me that he fired you." Sookie explained, her forehead wrinkling as she spoke. "And then he came by just a few hours ago to try and make peace."

"And you obviously didn't let him, judging by that pissy look in your eyes." I pointed out as I ran my hands through my hair. "Did you yell at him?"

"Yes I did." Sookie said almost proudly. "He deserved it. And maybe I sounded a little harsh but I don't care. He messed up and I am currently not speaking to him, except for at work."

"Sookie, I'm sorry." I bowed my head, feeling shame and guilt wash over me.

"Why are you sorry?" She asked, looking confused. "You didn't do anything. It was Sam who had a serious lapse in judgment."

"I don't want you to be mad at Sam and I don't want you guys to be fighting because of me. This is my problem with Sam and not yours..." I tried to say but Sookie wasn't able to hold her tongue and interrupted me.

"Now hold on a second. That is not completely true. Sure, it may not have to do with me directly, but it is still my problem." She said, looking fierce and protective at the same time. "You're my cousin and best friend. And whatever hurts you or bothers you affects me as well. And that's what I told Sam tonight when he came by."

"But still..."

"No buts." Sookie insisted, the toughness dropping from her face and she moved over until she was sitting next to me. "You're the closest thing I have right now besides Bill. And I can't stand it when you're hurting. Because I feel your pain and I hurt too."

"Ok, stop talking like that or else I am going to cry and my good mood will be gone." I told her lightly, wiping at my eyes to stop the tears that threatened to fall. "Besides, there are more interesting things to talk about."

"Yes there are." Sookie agreed, propping her elbow on the back of the couch. "Like where did you go in that dress and who put that ridiculous smile on your face?"

"I think you know the answer to those questions." I said, the grin returning to my face and the frown coming back on hers. She opened her mouth to speak, but I beat her to it. "Ok, look I know you are going to be upset, but let me explain why I went to Fangtasia in the first place. Trust me, there is a good reason."

"There is never a good reason for getting involved with Eric." She sighed, shaking her head with a groan. "But go ahead and tell me about it."

"You want all the details?" I asked wickedly. "Even the dirty ones?"

"Ew no." She exclaimed, pulling a face. " I don't need to know what goes on between you and Eric. In fact, I don't want to hear about that relationship, or whatever it is that you want to call it. As long as he behaves himself and is nice to you then that is all that matters."

"That is very mature of you." I pointed out thoughtfully.

"Yes I know." She nodded with a smile and then suddenly it disappeared and her mouth fell open wide. "Wait a second. Did you say dirty details? Allison, you didn't...I mean, you and Eric didn't...did you do something..."

"Calm down, I didn't sleep with him." I assured her and laughed when she visibly sank with relief. "You have to give me more credit then that. We only made out. For like 2 hours."

"And you enjoyed that?" She asked, looking horrified and grossed out.

"Are you kidding? I loved it! It was the best kiss of my life." I told her, grinning brightly. It was true. No other kiss came close to Eric's kiss. But then again, its not like I went around kissing vampires all the time. "You really don't like him, do you?"

"No." She said simply, biting the inside of her cheek. "And that's all I care to say about him."

"Well, just brace yourself because I didn't just go to Fangtasia to see Eric personally." I stated, gathering my courage. I honestly didn't know how she was going to react to it. "I went there to force him to fix the mess he made."

"Hmm, that sounds interesting." Sookie murmured.

"It is." I nodded nervously. "You see, after Sam fired me, I was really upset and I spent a lot of time in my room crying. But after I stopped, I decided that since I lost my job because of Eric, that he was going to make it up to me. So I got dressed..."

"In a red dress, to go to a vampire bar. That was a smart move."

"Hey, you wore a more revealing dress the first time you ever went to Fangtasia." I pointed out. "So you can't say anything."

"Alright fine. Go on."

"Anyway, so I drove to Shreveport and went into the bar and spotted Eric. He took me back to his office and after our little make out session, I told him we needed to talk. And we did. I basically told him that since he was responsible for getting me fired, that he was going to help me get another job. More specifically, a job at Fangtasia."

"Not as a dancer, right?" Sookie asked, looking scared for a second.

"No, not as a dancer. There was an ad in the paper for a book-keeper/manager and I asked him to give it to me. And he finally agreed to it."

"Just like that?"

"Well, I kind of had to threaten him a little bit."

"You threatened a vampire?" Sookie looked incredulous. "Are you crazy?"

"No, just desperate." I shrugged, twisting my hair around my fingers. "I needed a job and I couldn't afford to wait a day to get one. And I did what I had to do."

"And what exactly did you threaten him with?" My cousin wanted to know. "Because it had to be something big to subdue a vamp like Eric."

"Well, it's obvious by now that he has an interest in me. And I figured the best way to get what I want from him was to tell him he couldn't have me unless he did what I said. And that kind of pissed him off and he tried to glamor me, but it didn't work. So he can't force me to give myself to him. And the only power I had was to refuse him. And I'm sure not many people besides you and me have done that. So I told him that unless he hired me, I would never let him touch me or feed from me."

"You would consider letting him do that to you?"

"Don't judge. You are doing the same thing with Bill." I told her, feeling defensive. "You can't say it is wrong to be with a vampire."

"Yea, but Bill and Eric are total polar opposites." She fought back. "Bill is a sweetheart and Eric is so...Eric."

"Well I like him. And I don't think there is anything wrong with that." I sighed, not knowing where else to go from here. "I'm happy. Even if it is from being around a vampire. And I feel special when I'm around him. He makes me feel desirable instead of weird like everyone else in this town does. And I know it won't be smooth sailing with him, but right now, that's ok."

"As long as you are truly happy doing this, then fine. I support you." She grumbled and then smiled. She leaned over and the two of us hugged again. "Just make him realize that if he does anything that leads to you being put in the hospital or dying, then I will figure out a way to kill him myself."

"I think that is reasonable." I laughed, reaching over to pick up my bag again. "Alright well, good talk, but I'm tired and I am going to go to bed. What about you?"

"I'm gonna go to Bill's and stay with him for a while." She told me, her cheeks reddening a little bit and that just proved she was going to be up to no good tonight as well. "So I guess I will see you in the morning?"

"I guess so." I nodded with a smile and walked towards the staircase, ready for a good night's sleep.

_

* * *

__The next day..._

"Are you sure you want to be here?" Bill asked Sookie as the two of them entered the darkened main room of the vampire bar the next night and paused in their spot as they looked around at the crowds of humans who all came here to show their admiration for the undead. Bill had his arm around her waist and his grip was vice-like, to ensure that she wasn't pulled away at any point until they did what they came here to do. "We can still leave."

"No it's fine. I can handle it." Sookie told him, grateful for his protectiveness. "I need to be here to get this out of the way."

"I thought you said you were going to be supportive." Bill reminded her as they moved passed the mixture of vampires and humans and sat down at an empty table. "And being here to find Eric to yell at him is not exactly what I would call being supportive."

"Who said I was going to yell?" Sookie questioned, trying to appear innocent but she knew her fiancee could see right through it. "Ok fine, I might yell, but you have to admit that he deserves it."

"That may be true." Bill agreed, looking over his shoulder. "But just as a warning, don't go too far. Angering Eric Northman is not the smartest idea."

"Well I know that." Sookie rolled her eyes and propped her elbows on the tabletop. "But I have complete confidence that he's not going to try anything bad."

"Don't count on it. He has many different sides to him. And most of them are not pleasant." Bill warned, nodding to the low set stage on the other side of the room. "Well, your opportunity has just arrived. Eric is here."

Sookie followed the direction to where he was looking and spotted the tall, blonde vampire sitting in the old fashioned wooden chair on the stage, being flanked by admirers who bowed at his feet, waiting for a moment to reach out and touch him. Sookie frowned and shook her head, wondering how it was that her cousin was attracted to this vamp. She couldn't understand it. But then again, she couldn't explain her love for Bill. It's just something that had happened. Different people were attracted to different things. And just because she couldn't stand the viking vampire, didn't mean Allison felt the same. She clearly was taken with this one and while Sookie had promised to be supportive, she was still angry that Eric had played a part in messing things up. And she wasn't going to let him slide without giving him a piece of her mind. Sure he may be a vampire, but she was Sookie freaking Stackhouse. And no one messed with her or her family.

"Calm down." Bill leaned over to speak into her ear, his hand finding it's way to her leg under the table. " I can feel your fury and every vampire in here can sense your heart beat, including Eric. He just spotted us."

"Good. Then it is time to talk." Sookie stated, standing up just as Eric started moving through the crowds. She stood closer to Bill and watched as the object of Allison's affections, approached them with his usual smirk. Sookie would have loved to smack him at that moment, but she resisted. Causing a scene in a vampire bar with a vampire as old as Eric would not be a smart move. So when he reached them, she said in a calm voice. "We need to speak. In your office."

"Your human is demanding tonight." Eric observed, looking over her. "It's very satisfactory."

"Eric please." Bill groaned, his grip on her tightening as it always did when Eric made comments like that. "Can we discuss this in private?"

"If you insist." Eric replied, sounding bored and he started walking towards a door set behind the bar and motioned them to follow. They passed through the doorway and down the short hallway to Eric's office where he allowed them in first and then closed the door behind him. "What is this about Ms. Stackhouse?"

"You already know Eric." Sookie said, not amused by his attempts at playing coy. "I heard about what happened with Alison."

"Oh yes. Your cousin was just as feisty last night as you are right now." Eric told her, with a wicked smile on his face "At least until I shut her up."

"Ok, I don't want to hear about that. That's between you and Allie." Sookie insisted, shaking her hands to stop him from saying more. "No, I want to talk about how you royally fucked things up for her."

"I already heard this once from her. I do not desire to hear it again from another whiny Stackhouse."

"I am not whiny. I am concerned." Sookie protested,throwing her hands in the air. "You could have stayed away from the bar and saw her anywhere else. Hell, you could have not been interested in her and not get her interested in you. But you didn't. You just had to put yourself in the middle of her life and now things are upside down. It's all your fault."

"I made up for that by hiring her here. I did my part in fixing the problem. So I don't see the need to continue this discussion." Eric replied, crossing his arms and leaning against the door.

"Oh, but I still have plenty to say..."

* * *

"Thank god that is over." I muttered to myself as I walk across the dusty parking lot of Merlottes and over to where my car was parked under a low hanging tree branch. I hadn't wanted to come here at all, but I needed to drop off my apron and pick up my last paycheck before I officially was no longer apart of Merlottes. I was so sure and so worried that I was going to run into Sam while I was here, but surprisingly I didn't. He must have not wanted to see me either, because he had Terry be there to meet with me while he hid out in his trailer. Well, that was fine with me. I didn't really want to talk to him either. He hurt my feelings and i wasn't going to get over in just a few days. I didn't how long it would take before he and I would be able to look each other in the eye again. I hoped it wouldn't be that long. I was mad but I still had enough sense to know I didn't want to lose a friendship that I cherished.

I had just reached my car when my cell phone started buzzing in my pocket and I debated whether or not to answer it, thinking it might be Sookie. But when I pulled it out of my jeans, the caller Id had an unfamiliar number. I flipped it open and placed it against my ear. "Hello?"

"You're on orders to come to Fangtasia right away."

"Pam?" I asked, recognizing her voice. "How did you get my cell phone number?"

"Eric gave me it, along with the task of making sure to get a hold of you and tell you to come here. Right now."

"Why?" I wanted to know, knowing this couldn't be good.

"Don't ask questions. Just get here." Pam ordered sternly and then her voice took on a whole new tone. "And where something cute. Preferably, low cut."

"Uh, good bye." I said and hung up. I shook my head and got in my car. This was about to get interesting.

* * *

"Don't take this personally Bill, but your human talks too much."

"I'm not talking, I'm yelling." Sookie insisted, pausing for a second to gather her breath. She had indeed been shouting at the other vampire for the past 1 and a half hours and it wasn't until now that he had tried to get a word in. Bill sat in the background, completely satisfied in allowing her to have the upper hand in the matter. He hadn't said a word since she began her tirade and he made no move to stop her. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying watching her whip herself into a frenzy. Mostly because it wasn't like her to be yelling at anyone. And she could see it in his eyes that he liked this side of her.

"We have been at this for over 90 minutes and I think I have heard enough." Eric stated, looking at his finger nails in boredom. "Perhaps we should continue this another night."

"No way. I am not coming back here. I want to finish what I have started." Sookie snapped, pushing back her blonde hair.

"I think you have said your part. So what else is there to scream about?" Eric questioned, an annoyed look on his face. "You sound like a child."

"And you act like a child." Sookie shot back with a glare. "You always have to stick your nose where it doesn't..."

_Gosh this place is just as creepy as it was when I was here last night. No wonder Sookie hates coming here._

_I wonder why Pam called me to tell me to show up here. Something has to be up. I just know there is a reason._

_I hope Eric is here. It would be kind of nice to see him. I couldn't stop thinking about that kiss..._

"She's here." Sookie said, pulling herself out of her cousin's head, not wanting to hear anymore. She had let her guard down and inadvertently entered Allie's head without realizing it. It tended to happen when she was emotional and didn't focus on keeping up those walls. "Allison must have just arrived because I can hear her thoughts."

"And the evening keeps on getting interesting." Eric smirked, his posture getting straighter at the mention of the younger girl. He raised his hand and motioned towards the door. "Maybe you should be the one to go and collect her."

"Better me then you." Sookie muttered, sending a glare at Eric as she left the room and headed back towards the bar. She opened the door at the end of the hallway and paused, looking around at the crowd and searched for her cousin. She spotted the brunette by a wall looking around and Sookie took a second to use her powers to communicate with Allie.

_Allie, it's me._

_Sookie? What's wrong? You never come into my head unless something is up._

_Look to your left. Over by the bar. I'm standing behind the counter by the door. Come over here. Eric sent me out to get you._

_Really?_

_Oh don't sound like a love-sick teenager. And not over Eric._

_You said you were ok with this, Sookie._

_Actually I didn't. I said I was going to be supportive of you. That does not mean I am ok with the idea of you and Eric being a 'thing'._

"Well, that's quite a turn around." Allison's voice said as she came through the crowd and appeared in front of Sookie dressed in a simple black dress with her hair falling loosely down her back. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't get mad, but I sort of talked Bill into taking me here so I could kind of yell at Eric." Sookie explained, ushering her cousin out of the main room and into the darkened hallway.

"And he agreed to that?" Allie asked, laughing slightly as they walked towards the office.

"He looked amused the entire time, so the answer is yes." Sookie replied, grimacing as she opened the door and entered the smaller room for the second time and watched Eric's face twist into a more satisfied smirk when Allison stepped through the doorway.

"Hey Bill." Her cousin said, walking over to the younger vampire and kissing his cheek in greeting and then glanced towards the desk Eric was sitting behind and nodded to him. "Eric."

"Now that is not a greeting I was hoping to get." The blonde vampire said, causing Allison to blush slightly, which annoyed Sookie to no end.

"Eric, behave yourself. Say that when you're alone." Sookie stammered and then clapped her hands to her mouth when she realized what she said. "wait a second. That wasn't an invitation for you guys to..."

"I think he gets it." Allie chirped up, fiddling with her hair and staring at the floor. "So...why exactly did I get called here?"

"Didn't you want to see me?" Eric questioned, turning his complete focus on her.

"Uh, no." Allison shot back, trying to keep a stern look on her face but Sookie and both vampires saw right through it.

"You're such a liar." Sookie muttered to her and then looked at Eric. "But why is she here? What trouble do you plan on starting now?"

"None. I just needed something to look forward to while you were ranting like a crazy person." He replied, answering her, but looking at her cousin.

"Then if she isn't needed here, we will be going." Sookie told him, nodding to Bill who stood up and then taking Allison by the arm. "Come on."

"But I just got here." Allie protested, looking agitated.

"Yes, Sookie. She just got here. She might like to spend time here with me." Eric cooed, his eyes lighting up mischievously. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she is safe."

"Yea right." Sookie scoffed, tugging on her cousin's arm. "I really believe that. Let's go Allie."

* * *

_3 hours later..._

"I wonder how long he plans on being out there." I whispered out loud as I lay on my bed and looked out the window to the figure floating in the air outside my room. I wasn't surprised to see him there. I had a feeling he would show up after we had left the vampire bar that night. He hadn't been pleased when Sookie convinced me to leave with her and Bill. Eric Northman wasn't a vampire to be satisfied without getting his way every day. And he wanted me, or at least just to see me tonight. And I knew that he would somehow get his way. So when Sookie and I returned home, and I had showered and gotten dressed, I sat on my bed and waited for him, knowing he would come. And sure enough, I had been sitting there for only 15 minutes and there he was, levitating in the air and watching me as I watched him. I debated whether or not to let him in, and eventually I got off my bed and tiptoed across the wooden floor and over to the window to push it open.

"Took you long enough." Eric muttered, stepping onto the frame of the window and pulling himself through until he was standing in front of me at his full height. He smirked slightly when he looked me over and took in my simple t-shirt and shorts that I wore to bed. "Nice outfit."

"I looked better before." I grumbled, tugging on my clothes and touching my makeup free face. I didn't like being around people without looking put together. Especially around someone who looked like Eric. My uneasiness seemed to amuse him because he started laughing.

"You humans are so self conscious." He teased, pulling off his black leather jacket and tossed it onto my armchair. He looked at me for a second and I could see something brewing behind his ice blue eyes. And in the next second, all I could make out was a blur rushing towards me and I found myself on my back, lying on my bed with Eric pinning me down by the arms.

"Um what do you think you are doing?" I asked, feeling a slight twinge of fear pass through me, but mostly I was excited. I hadn't been able to be with Eric the way I wanted to when I showed up at Fangtasia and ran into Sookie and Bill. So having him hover above me the way he was, was incredibly exciting.

"Giving you a proper greeting. Especially since I was denied it earlier." he smirked, his hands tightening around my wrists and his chest lowering onto me. And then, just as quickly as he had thrown me on the bed, he was kissing me. And I felt like I was flying.


	6. The First Night

**Chapter 6 The First Night**

"Ok, this is a dilemma." I murmured to myself as I stood in front of my closet, dressed in only my bathrobe and attempted to figure out what I should wear for my first night of work at Fangtasia

I sighed heavily and just stared straight ahead at the rack of clothes. Normally I wasn't the type of girl who worried over what I should wear, but this situation was on a totally different level then anything else. If I didn't dress appropriately, a few things could happen tonight. If I was wearing something overly sexual, then there was a good chance I could end up being the focal point of every vampire in that club and the thought of having these blood suckers looking at me like a meal was not my intention . Then again, if I dressed down I would most likely go un-noticed by a certain blond vampire, whose attention I was hoping to get. And being ignored by Eric was something I was hoping to avoid. Not that I would come right out and say that I wanted him to look at me, but that was what I was hoping would happen. And it all depended on what clothes I would end up putting on for my new job.

"This is going to be a challenge." I sighed, moving clothes back and forth in front of me, praying that something would jump out at me. But nothing did. Normally, I would have Sookie help me in this situation, but this time it was different for two reasons. Sookie hated Eric and would most likely not help me just for the simple fact that she couldn't stand him. And also she was at work herself, so she couldn't help me even if she wanted to. It was up to me to figure out what would work.

"Ok, this is stupid. It doesn't matter what I wear, I'm just going to be stuck in an office all night anyway." I muttered, grabbing a pair of dark, slim-legged jeans and a light blue scoop neck top and then kicked my closet door shut. I hung my clothes over the back of my chair and untied my robe so I could drop it on the floor and pull my clothes on. Once I was dressed, I sat down in front of my mirror and lightly dusted my face with powder and then added in mascara and lip gloss. I briefly ran my hands through my silky brown hair that fell down my back in soft waves and nodded. I was happy with my appearance,or at least as happy as I would be.

"Ok time to get this show going." I told myself, slipping my feet into my heels and grabbed my purse and left the room. I walked through the quiet house slowly, making sure to shut off the lights as I went and stopped off in the kitchen to grab a bottle of water before I left the house. Once the door was locked behind me, I cautiously made my way down the porch steps and across the grass towards my car. The sky was dark now and ever since the vampire attack outside of Merlottes, I had been extra vigilant when walking around outside, even if it was just to get to my car. And that was further proven when I was able to breathe normally once I was locked in the vehicle. I closed my eyes for a second, taking a moment to collect myself and then put the key into the ignition.

"Here goes nothing."

* * *

_25 minutes later..._

"Well, don't you look just darling."

"Uh thanks Pam." I said, fighting the urge to roll my eyes and plastered a fake smile on my face as I walked through the doorway of Fangtasia. I had arrived just a few minutes ago and parked in a nearly empty lot as the bar hadn't opened yet. There was a small line already forming by the door as I walked by to enter the building. I got a few dirty looks from the people I passed by, the annoyance evident on their faces when they saw I was allowed in. But I had a job to get to and I couldn't worry about what the customers were thinking. Besides, I had other things to think about, not to mention be grossed out over when I came into Pam's line of vision. She obviously had no problem saying what was on her mind.

"You are just the most delicious sight I have seen in a long time." She purred, walking up to me in her usual pink ensemble and a slightly creepy smile on her painted lips. She reached up with her manicured hand to brush a stray hair off my face and tuck it behind my ear. "You know, if you weren't of such an interest to Eric, I would most definitely help myself to you."

"I guess it sucks then that I belong to him." I replied, stepping backwards so she wasn't touching me. I wasn't afraid of her exactly. I knew that if she tried to attack, Eric would feel my distress and show up to save me. No, it was more like being stared at by some gross, older man who liked peeking at young girls. It was gross and creepy, but I could handle it if I played my cards right. "Speaking of the devil, where is he?"

"Eric usually doesn't arrive until after the club opens. So he won't be here for a while." She explained, her eyes looking me up and down slowly as if she knew it made me uncomfortable. "So he put me in charge of making sure you got settled in on your first night."

"That sounds fabulous." I said through clenched teeth. This was just getting better and better. "Show me where I'm supposed to go then."

"As you wish." Pam turned on her heels and started walking towards the wall further away from us. The door she was heading to was set off to the side of the bar on the left side. She waved a hand over her shoulder and called out. "Follow me sweetie, this is your office."

"I have an office?" I asked with a frown and scurried after her. "Why?"

"Eric insisted on it. He doesn't like other people in his office, touching his things." She told me, turning her head with a smirk. "Although, I wouldn't mind touching what was his."

"I'm sure you wouldn't." I laughed uneasily, walking through the doorway she was standing in and came to an abrupt stop. "What the..."

"Now you see why we placed that ad in the paper." Pam nodded towards the room and the numerous metal shelves that housed hundreds, maybe even thousands of files and folders all in various stages of disarray. There was a wooden desk and what looked like a brand new computer on top of it. But it was all the paperwork surrounding me that held my attention.

"This...is...insane." I exclaimed, walking into the room and setting my bag on the desk. "How is it possible that you run a business and your filing system is this shitty?"

"It's not in my job description to worry about trivial things like files and book-keeping." Pam responded, looking bored. "That's why we wanted a human to take this on. And luckily for us, you demanded this job be given to you."

"This is going to take forever." I murmured, looking around again at the chaos surrounding me. "It's like there is no end in sight."

"That's good. Because we want to keep you here as long as we can." Pam said with a smirk.

"Oh I'm sure you and Eric wouldn't let me go even if I did finish all this work." I shot back with a devious smile of my own which only seemed to please Pam more. So not my intention at all. I didn't need to indulge her fantasies any more then she was already doing. It was already weird enough as it was.

"Hmm, feisty humans are the best kind." She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and I could see her fangs had come out. She wiggled her eyebrows at me and turned to leave, but not before taking another long look at me. "I'm sure I will be seeing you through out the night."

"Yea sure." I agreed, not really meaning it and was just glad to see her leave and shut the door behind her. I breathed a heavy sigh and leaned against the desk with my arms crossed over me tightly. Pam was going to be a handful, no doubt about that. She was making it very clear that she saw me as an object of desire and would not stop at doing whatever it took to make me feel uncomfortable when I was around her. But that was what I had to take on with this new job. And it was better then just having her want to bite me and possibly kill me. I still had trouble sleeping after the first vampire attack and I would never want to face something like that again. So if it came down to dealing with Pam hitting on me or having her want to kill me, I would totally take the first option, being that I had no desire to die. I would take anything over that outcome.

"Alright, now that I am done with that, it is time to focus." I told myself, standing up straight and looking at the shelves and I felt my face crumble. "Seriously, where the hell am I supposed to start?"

I looked towards the door and briefly wondered if Eric had arrived yet. I could feel the heat flame across my cheeks just from this simple thought and I felt embarrassed for the intense rush that went through my body. It was new for me to feel these kind of things for someone. Usually it took me a few months to have these thoughts about someone I was dating and with Eric it happened almost instantly. But Eric and I weren't dating and we certainly weren't a couple. In fact, I wasn't sure exactly what we were, that is if we were anything. Sure he was my new boss, but it got complicated after he first kissed me, so it wasn't a normal professional relationship. And while Eric was a vampire, he wasn't the type of vampire to date like a human would. He wasn't Bill, to put it bluntly. That was obvious. He was completely different and every time I was around him, my mind was a mess and I was left feeling confused. I guess only time would tell what would happen between him and I.

* * *

"Well look who finally decided to show up."

"Shut up Pam." Eric grumbled as he took his seat in his wooden chair on the stage in the main room and relished in the stares and glances coming his way. He was always stared at when he entered any room, but it was much more intense when he walked into his own place. They worshiped him here and he loved the attention like no other, even if most of the admirers were pathetic humans he would never even think if touching. Although there was a first time for everything.

"Oh, someone isn't in a very good mood." Pam pushed as she took her place by his side an together they watched the crowd in front of them. "Have you not gotten what you wanted from the Stackhouse girl?"

"Not yet." Eric replied, sliding down in his seat so he could prop his elbow on the arm of the chair. "I haven't gotten that far."

"Not that far?" Pam repeated, her pink painted lips turning up slightly. "Since when haven't you sealed the deal by now?"

"Since I decided to change how I do things." Eric back with a glare so deathly that it scared the few humans who had ventured closer to the stage. "I will conquer her when the time comes."

"At this pace, I hardly think that will happen." Pam smirked, twirling her blonde hair around her long finger. "If you don't want her, then I wouldn't mind having my way with that little brunette."

"Back off Pam, she's mine." Eric warned, feeling his eyes narrow and his hands clench into fists, but that hardly fazed her at all.

"Relax Northman, I won't go against your orders and touch your precious little treasure." Pam relented, rolling her eyes as she looked at a nearby group of blonde humans. "Although I would like to."

"Yes, I know you would like to force yourself on her..."

"And you wouldn't?"

"You know me too well." Eric sneered, glancing over to the door next to the bar counter and nodded in it's direction. "Is she in there?"

"Yup and unless she's been swallowed by the stacks of paperwork in there then she's working." Pam told him, also looking at the door with a longing look on her face. "And if you ask me, she looked quite scrumptious."

"I didn't ask you." Eric grumbled, shifting in his seat when Pam turned her focus on him. "What?"

"Oh nothing. Just seems like you are uneasy about something." She commented, laughing slightly as she leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Is it possible that this girl has gotten under your skin?"

"She's human, so I will say no." Eric kept his eyes forward and ignored the vampire at his side.

"You forget Eric, that she is related to Sookie, therefore she is not entirely human." Pam reminded him and he glared at his feet. He hated being corrected and she should have remembered that.

"Thank you for stating the obvious." Eric hissed waving his hand in the air. "No go away."

"Yea, it's obvious that you haven't made progress with her..."

* * *

"This is just pure chaos."

I sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall with my eyes closed and my hair hanging over my shoulder. I sat been sitting on the floor for the past hour trying to sort through the first shelf of files and I had barely made progress. Everything was a complete mess and nothing was in order. It made me wonder how on earth Eric and Pam managed to run a business when they left all this information in disarray. I will be the first to admit that I wasn't personally super organized, but I at least had my paperwork and bills in some kind of order. There was no system to these files at all. And seeing all the shelves I still had to go through was disheartening. It would take me a while to make sense of all this. And who knows if it would ever be able to be reigned in. There was just so much paper all around me and it was so irritating to be in the middle of all this mess that I stood up and kicked the wall repeatedly until my frustration fell away and I was calm again.

"You know, I'm not paying you to kick a hole through my wall." An amused voice said from the doorway and I pivoted my body to see Eric leaning against the frame with his typical smirk on his lips.

"Oh it's you." I replied, rolling my eyes and kneeling down to pick up a stack of folders. I don't know why, but I just wasn't excited to see him. I had been, when I first arrived for work, but now, the thrill was gone. It had been replaced by a feeling, more like a 6th sense, that something was going to happen and that was all I could think about. And it would probably do me some good to keep my mind off of Eric. Because once I started thinking those not so clean thoughts, it was like I had no control over my body. So this foreboding feeling was a blessing. "What do you want?"

"Now is that any way to talk to the man who gave you a job?" He questioned, crossing his arms over his broad chest when I walked passed him to my desk.

"Oh I'm sorry." I replied sarcastically dropping the pile on the desk with a thud and turning to look at him with my hands on my hips.

"You're frustrated. I can feel it." He stated, his lips turning up even tighter.

"Only slightly frustrated." I told him, shaking my head. "Seriously Eric, how did you manage to let it get this bad in here?"

"Sometimes we don't pay attention to trivial things like this." He shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"Uh, if you plan on keeping your business going, then you will have to be more organized." I scolded, motioning to the tightly packed shelves around us. "This is insane."

"I am a vampire. We're not known to be sane creatures." He replied, taking slow but sure steps towards me and I just stood there watching him get closer. I tried not to look at him but he was practically on top of me before I would lift my head to look him in the eye. I knew what he had in mind the moment our eyes met and I wasn't having it. Not at the moment anyway. His hands reached for my waist like they always seemed to do when we were alone. "I've been waiting for you all night."

"And you're going to keep on waiting." I said, squeezing passed him and walking between a row of shelves to get away from him. "I'm not in the mood."

"Give me a minute to convince you." He said, following after me and blocking the aisle so I couldn't escape. I turned away from him and started perusing through the files in the back of the room. It was darker back here as the light did not quite reach this part of the room and Eric was currently standing in the midst of it. I tried not to focus on how incredible he looked and just pretended to be interested in the paperwork in front of me. I hide in the shadows while he just continued to watch me. I saw him leave the light and step closer to me and it took all I had to not want to fall into his arms. I kept my eyes straight ahead, even as I felt Eric behind me. I didn't flinch when his large hands gripped my hips and pulled me backwards against his hard chest. His arms encircled around me, one going around my waist and the other over my chest to ensure I wouldn't be able to get away from him.

"Eric don't..." I tried to say but I felt his hand brush against my face and I turned my head against his body and looked at him, the words frozen in my mouth.

"I told you I would convince you." His husky voice breathed down on me, causing my heart to flip over in my chest. He of course knew the effect he had on me and he wasted no time in whipping his head down to kiss me. The moment our mouths met, any thought of pushing him away was gone and I twisted in his arms so I could face him properly. He smirked in satisfaction as if he knew this would happen. "Still not in the mood?"

"Shut up." I said and pushed him backwards to the wall and threw myself at him.

* * *

"_...he is so perfect..."_

_"...and hot..."_

_"...I would totally let him bite me..."_

_"...It would be a thrill of a lifetime, I'm sure..."_

_"...I just want to touch him."_

Eric smirked and shook his head at the things these humans were saying as they eyed him when walking by. It was the sort of thing he was used to hearing every night and truth be told, it never got old. He never got tired of being admired and desired. It played to his ego very well and that was something that was never going to change. He liked the power he felt when he knew he was the most looked at thing in the room. It had been that way for a long time and he didn't foresee it ending any time soon. No human or even vampire had been able to resist him and it was evident by what had occurred in the office with the younger Stackhouse girl. Sure she had put up a little resistance to his advances. But he knew it wouldn't last long. He could feel the desire and arousal radiating off her body just from being close to him. And it only took a few brief touches before she was bending to his will and allowing him to kiss her. If it were up to him, it would have gone further then that, but the tiny brunette had refused to let him, so here he was, back out on the main floor, thinking about their encounter. And it left a semi-creepy smile on his face that made the customers tense.

"Speak of the devil." Eric said to himself with glee, as his eyes drifted across the room towards the bar and spotted little Allison Stackhouse emerging for the first time into the busy club. But his smirk turned into a frown when he saw the look on her face.

Allison stood in the doorway, not looking like she was going to move any time soon and just searched the crowd like someone was here that she knew. But the expression in her eyes said something entirely different. Even from here, he could see the distress on her face and when her eyes met his for a split second, he could feel the force of it. He made a move to rise, but decided against it and sat back down. She shook her head and looked toward the bar and started walking up to the counter. Eric watched her lean across the wood and wave to the bartender to come over to her, which of course he did. They appeared to be talking about something serious because Allison looked nervous and the vampire she was talking to looked angry. She pointed off to somewhere in the crowd and the bartender nodded. Her small shoulders shrugged upwards into her dark hair and she stepped back quickly and disappeared back through the door and shut it. And that was the last he saw of her.

"Pam, get over here right now." Eric ordered, tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair and waited until she appeared at his side.

"You called?" She asked, looking bored.

"Go to the bar and find out what Ms. Stackhouse was talking to the bartender about." He snapped, nodding across the room. "Do it now."

"At least you asked nicely." Pam grumbled and with a flash, she was across the room and behind the counter. He was extremely curious as to what Allison could have said to the bartender instead of coming to him first. This was his bar and he was in charge. Eric watched them converse and then argue until Pam nodded and was back at his side, looking apprehensive. "We have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" He wanted to know, still watching the bar. "What did you find out?"

"It turns out that the object of your affections accidentally heard the thoughts of a human couple. And let's just say, that they weren't good thoughts."

"Meaning..."

"These people she was listening to were planning on using silver chains and trying to capture one of us. This couple is hoping to drain a vampire and take the blood for themselves. And apparently Allison came out to warn us." Pam explained, sitting down in the chair next to him and asked "So how do you want to handle this?"

"You will handle this." Eric told her, his fingers gripping the chair tightly. "You are to deal with this without attracting attention. Find those humans and throw them out."

"Can I at least bite one of them?" Pam asked, her face looking hopeful.

"Just do as I ask and nothing more." Eric snapped, rising from his chair. "I'll be back. I have pressing matters to attend to."

* * *

"Ok, that is finally done." I said with a sigh of relief as I hit a button on the keyboard and entered the last part of data on a spreadsheet and hit the save function before I leaned back in my chair and grinned. I had made actual progress and finished converting a stack of files into the computer after fighting at it the past hour. It may have taken less time if I hadn't heard those horrendous thoughts. I shivered hard at what I had heard those people think. The way they were imagining trying to capture a vampire was turning my stomach over. The only thing I could do was go out there and warn them and that's why I told the bartender. I just hoped that they got those people out before they were able to do anything.

_Slam!_

"Eric?" I asked, looking up when I heard the door slam shut and was surprised to see him standing there with a blank look on his face. I was about to ask him what was wrong when he moved his hand and flipped the lock into place. I didn't know what to make of this and I got that feeling again that something was up. "What is..."

"Don't speak." He snapped, flying across the room until he had grabbed me out of the chair and had me pinned to the floor behind the desk. It happened so fast that I didn't even have a chance to be afraid. His large hand was wrapped around my throat and his blue eyes were crackling with an unhinged fury that I hadn't seen until now.

"Wha...what did I do?" I stuttered, the fear starting to creep in over the fact that I wasn't sure what I had done to make him react this way. He never was this rough with me before. "Eric stop it."

"Now you know what it is like to not appreciate someone's actions." He said quietly, his voice as cold and smooth as glass. It was a dangerous tone and it made me squirm uncomfortably. His grip tightened on my neck until I stopped moving and he narrowed his eyes at me. "Whose establishment is this?"

"Yours." I replied, moving my fingers to his hand to try and pry it off my throat. It didn't work, obviously.

"And who is in charge here?" His voice got tighter, as did his hand. My airway was starting to close and I was struggling to breathe properly. I didn't answer right away and just tried to get him to let me go. It was like hitting a brick wall they way I was slamming my fists into his chest. He didn't like my silence and shook me hard as punishment. "Who's in charge!"

"You are." I squeaked, trying and failing to nod my head.

"So don't you think you should have come to me first?" He snapped, his legs straddling over my waist as he let go of my throat and grabbed both my wrists. "This is my bar and anything that goes on should be reported to me first and not the bartenders. If there is a crime about to be committed in my club, then I am the first to hear about it and not after."

"I'm sorry." I struggled to say, finally able to breathe. "I wasn't thinking..."

"That is obvious. You humans never think." He shouted, his anger very much alive as he hovered above me. I looked up at his face and the way it was twisted and my chest filled with a fear that I hadn't felt in a while. I knew vampires were especially prone to anger outbursts, but I never saw this from Eric and I sincerely doubted that my life was entirely safe at the moment.

"I panicked. I heard what they were going to do and I just reacted. I'm sorry" I tried to explain, fighting to keep my emotions from exploding out, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they did. I felt my lip tremble when I looked at him again and the expression in his eyes caused my heart to thud and not in a good way. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Maybe I should." He responded, his tone going quite again and his grip on my wrists tightened painfully, and that's when I lost it. I felt the tears fill up in my eyes, making my vision blurry and Eric's face distorted. He was going to hurt me. Possibly kill me, and I couldn't stop it. The idea that I was probably going to die soon was the very thing that made the tears overflow and spill down my cheeks. I I didn't bother to try and stop crying. Why did it matter anyway? My life was going to be gone within minutes, so it was stupid to worry about crying. As it turned out, I wasn't the one who was worrying about my tears, it was Eric. His hold on me lessened and he sat back slightly so he wasn't hovering over me anymore. I couldn't see his face clearly, but I could make out the tiniest hint of uneasiness in his features. "Don't do that."

"Do what?" I sobbed in question, the tears were hot and coming so fast now that they were taking my breath away.

"Don't cry. I can't stand it." He told me, his voice sounding strangely strangled as he spoke. He looked off to the side for a minute and then looked down at me and his face hardened. "Stop it."

"I ...I..." I couldn't even formulate a sentence as my crying reached the point of making me hyperventilate and I once again was finding it hard to breathe. I was shaking out of fear and I couldn't even feel his hands on me anymore. It was that bad.

"I said stop it." He was getting angry again, only this time it was stronger then before. He was leaning over me as if trying to use his closeness to scare me. Well, mission accomplished.

"Please just let me go." I begged, my tears rolling down the side of my face and dampening my hair severely. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried this hard. I supposed fearing for your life will do that to you.

"STOP IT!" Eric yelled, slamming his fist on the floor beside my head and I was so taken aback by his sudden actions that I clammed up and fell silent. He closed his eyes for a second and then opened them. He released my arms and slowly got to his feet. He didn't offer a hand to me and instead just left me on the floor with my clenched fists frozen in the air. He frowned and then opened his mouth to speak one last time. "You will never do that in my presence again. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I said, my voice barely over a whisper as he nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him and leaving me to collect myself.

_

* * *

_

_4 hours later..._

"See you tomorrow night." Pam called out to me as I walked through the nearly empty club and hurried towards the door. She was still sitting at her chair on the stage only this time she was alone.

"Yea. See you then." I faked a happy tone and nodded to her as I left the club and entered the dark parking lot. I was so ready to be out of this place and just go home to forget everything that had happened.

After Eric yelled at me, he ignored me for the rest of the night. And that was just fine with me. I still hadn't gotten myself completely together after his verbal tirade and was content with not having to deal with him for a while. So I stayed in my office, only coming out to use the bathroom and that was it. I had eaten before I got to work so I was fine in that department. And the rest of the night went off without a problem. I wasn't bothered by anyone and I didn't bother anyone either. I didn't hear any more malicious thoughts and that was good because I didn't need a repeat of what had happened earlier. So when it was finally time to go home, I was hesitant to leave the office for fear of running into Eric on my way out. But the blonde vampire was no where in sight and I was still so angry and upset that I didn't even question his whereabouts. I just wanted to get home and go to sleep.

"This day couldn't end any worse." I muttered, throwing my purse into my car and then patted down my pockets to see where I had slipped my key. "At least it is over."

I spoke too soon. Because in that split second of pulling out my car key, I felt a pair of hands grab me and throw me roughly to the ground.


	7. It Only Hurts

**Chapter 7 It Only Hurts**

_"...Please stop!"_

_"Shut up you stupid bitch."_

_"Don't hurt me, please. I'm begging you."_

_"I said shut up. This is what you get for messing up our plans."_

_"That's right. It's punishment for having us thrown out."_

_"You fuck with us, and we fuck with you."_

_"...what are you going to do to me.."_

_"...we are going to make you hurt...Alot..."_

"And boy they certain followed through." I muttered to myself as I stood in front of my mirror and looked at my reflection, the sight of my face still making my stomach turn. I touched the dark bruise around my eye, that had almost turned black in color and felt the pain throbbing through my skin just from that light touch and I had to stop. It did hurt. It hurt a lot.

I didn't think that last night was going to end the way it did. I thought that Eric's outburst would be the worst thing to happen. But I was wrong. Oh I was so wrong. The minute I felt those hands grab me, I knew that the apprehension I had been feeling all night had been about this. I didn't see it coming but I felt it in my heart that something was about to happen and it had. I didn't know the names of these people but I knew their faces. It was the human couple who had been plotting to capture one of the vampires and drain them. The ones who I had warned the bartender about and had gotten thrown out. They had come back to get their revenge. I had foiled their plans and they wanted me to pay for it. And when I stepped out into that empty parking lot, they came at me like vultures and I didn't even have a chance to scream or even feel anything. It was like every emotion had been stopped before I could feel it and all that I was able to feel was the beating. They didn't have to use weapons or any kind of object to bring on the pain, their fists and legs did the trick. It didn't take long before I could feel the bruises start to spread all over my body and still they didn't stop. I waited for the moment when Eric would show up and stop this, but he never did. Even if I wasn't able to scream out for help, surely he would be able to tell that I was in pain, especially since it was happening in the parking lot by his club. But there was no knight in shinning armor, no white horse with my hero showing up on it to save the day and certainly no viking vampire flying in to rescue me. No, it was just this man and woman doing whatever they could to hurt me. And once they had satisfied their fill for vengeance, they kicked me one last time before finally leaving me curled up on the gravel, bloodied and bruised and alone.

The only fortunate thing was that they hadn't thought to steal my bag where my car keys were and I was able to muster enough strength to crawl behind the wheel and get myself to a nearby hospital for treatment. When I got into the emergency room, the nurses immediately pushed me down into a wheelchair and whisked me off to an examination room. The doctors wanted to know who had done this but I wasn't able to give them a straight answer because I was still in shock. I was barely able to talk enough to tell them what had happened. I was lucky though. I wasn't seriously injured, it just looked like I was. I had two black eyes, a cut near my hairline, bruises on my arms and legs, and two small fractures in my ribcage that made it extremely difficult to breathe or move. I had to be careful in the way I sat or laid down or else I would be hurting. Once the gash on my forehead was stitched up and my ribs were tapped tightly, the doctors moved me to a room to rest and get some pain-killers. They wouldn't allow me to drive home until the morning when they were sure I was able to operate my car correctly. I was in so much pain that I didn't fight it and just allowed myself to fall asleep in that hospital bed and drift away. I woke up mid morning and signed myself out and somehow made it home without driving off the road. I walked into the house slightly hunched over and found a note from Sookie saying she was working all day at Merlottes and wouldn't be home till tonight and that she hoped my first night at work had gone well. I crumbled the paper in my fist and dragged myself up the stairs to my bedroom where I eased myself into bed and fell asleep once again.

And now it was early afternoon and here I stood in front of my mirror in short and a sports bra that showed the full extent of my injuries. It made me sick to look at myself and see almost my entire body covered in blue and purple bruises. It was hard to see a spot where there wasn't some kind of marking. I had to turn away from it and shuffle towards my bed where I gingerly lowered myself down on to the mattress. I laid there like a corpse staring up at my ceiling. I tried not to move, but I fidgeted a little and stopped when the shooting pain flew up the sides of my ribcage. I had to bite my lip to keep from crying and nearly succeeded, but I was weak and the tears started rolling. And it was soon taking over and I fell back asleep with wet cheeks.

* * *

"Can we talk?"

"Not now Sam." Sookie said, brushing her boss off as she walked into the back part of the bar to restock napkin dispensers. She really didn't have to do it, but she was willing to do anything task that got her away from Sam. She just didn't have the energy to deal with him. He had been trying to talk to her the entire day and she either just walked away or just plain ignored him. Yes it was childish, but she was mad and didn't care how she acted.

"I think now is the best time." He insisted, taking her by the arm and pulling her down the hall to his office. "Besides, you won't return any of my phone calls and you have your fiancee throw me out every time I show up to your house."

"Can you blame me?" Sookie asked, frowning when he pushed her into the room and shut the door behind him. "I don't really want to talk to you unless I have to."

"Ok, enough of this bullshit grudge. It's getting old." He snapped, whipping around to look at her and she could see the desperation in his face. "Can't we just move passed this?"

"You think it is that easy?" She asked, crossing hers arms. "You think it is as simple as just saying sorry and things are ok?"

"It can be be like that. All you have to is accept my apology and things can be normal." Sam replied, rubbing his face with his hands. "I don't want us to lose our friendship because we're too stubborn to stop this fight."

"I am not stubborn. I have every right to be mad." Sookie snapped, her anger reaching her voice and causing Sam to flinch. "You hurt Allison and you think that is something that is easily forgivable."

"It can be if you let it." He answered with a sigh, pacing the floor in front of her. "I know you don't want to be mad at me."

"Guess again, Sam Merlotte. Mad doesn't even describe half of what I am feeling towards you right now." Sookie shot back, but her voice wavered for a second and she actually had to turn away from him. It almost felt like she wanted to cry and she had no intention of doing it in front of him when she was trying to keep an angry face up.

"Sookie, please. I hate what is happening between us. I don't want it to be like this anymore." Sam pleaded, coming up to her and placing his hands on her arms. "I am willing to do whatever it takes to make things ok. I can't take this."

"If it really bothers you that much, then why aren't you trying to work things out with Allison?" She asked, looking up at him with a frown. Her question seemed to stump him and he stepped back with his mouth open. "I mean, you're trying so hard to get me to forgive you, but you haven't even tried to repair your friendship with her."

"I don't know why..."

"No seriously, answer the question." She pushed, her eyebrows turning downward. "I want to know the reasoning why you are campaigning so hard to get me to accept your apology, but you won't even try and talk to her."

"It's not that simple." Sam tried to say but she shook her head and he fell silent once again.

"Yes it is. You just don't want to admit that you were in the wrong. And until that happens, I don't know how to forgive you." She told him, walking across the room towards the door and grabbing the handle. He didn't stop her and she paused in the doorway, her head swirling with thoughts. She looked over her shoulder slightly and locked eyes with Sam. It did hurt that they were mad at each other, but she knew deep down that she wasn't the one who had to make amends, it was him. And looking at him right now showed that he also knew that too. "You know that things won't be ok until you make things right with Allison. You know that right?"

"Yea, I guess I do know that."

* * *

"Why did I have to wake up?" I groaned out loud in the empty room as my eyes opened reluctantly and looked up at the same spot I had been staring at when I fell asleep a few hours ago. I really didn't want to be awake. Because the moment I was awake, the pain started again and I couldn't escape the images of the beating I had taken the night before. Things were so much simpler when I was asleep. I didn't have to think. I didn't have to feel. All I had to do was be lost in the darkness. And I could no longer do that now that it was starting to get dark outside and I had to be up to get to work.

Which was why I summoned the strength to throw back the covers and ease myself upwards into a sitting position. I placed my hands on my side when I slide my legs across the mattress and set my feet on the floor. Every movement I made had to be slow and steady or else the pain would be swift and sharp. And it took all I had to stand up and shuffle towards the bathroom, being careful to avoid furniture in case I tripped over any exposed parts. I gingerly picked up a towel and entered the cool tiled room and shut the door silently behind me. As soon as I reached into the shower to turn on the water, I was faced with the task of having to figure out how to take off my clothes without putting myself in a huge amount of pain. My mind briefly jumped to Eric, but as soon as his name entered my head I stopped it in it's place. I didn't want to think about him and I couldn't think about him. Because then I would remember that he wasn't there when I needed him and I would hurt all over again. So I closed my thoughts off and just focused on pulling my pajamas off and dropping them on the floor by the hamper. Then I had to un-tape my ribcage that was encased in rolls of beige gauze before I stepped carefully into the shower. I had to be careful when I let the water hit me, because of the stitches in my head, but besides that, I just let the water rush over me and soothe my body. It relaxed my muscles and my mind and that's when I allowed myself to drift away into my thoughts.

I know I said I wasn't going to allow myself to think about Eric, but it was impossible to do when I was getting ready to go to work at the very bar he owned. So I had no choice but to allow him into my head. And the fact of the matter was that I didn't want to deal with him tonight. I didn't want to see him this soon after the attack. He would probably come up with some sorry ass excuse of why he wasn't there and I had no desire to listen to it. He probably didn't care enough to come up with a reason why he let me get beaten like this. He wouldn't care that I was in pain. All he cared about was his own satisfaction and getting what he wanted from me, which I still didn't know what it was. He was selfish as a vampire and I'm sure he was selfish when he was human. That kind of character trait didn't just disappear over the years. People like that didn't change, maybe some did but I highly doubted that he was one of them. So why was I in the shower, cleaning up for a night of work at his business?

Because I was a moron that's why.

Ever since I was a kid, even when people hurt and betrayed me, I still performed my duties. I felt like I had to do it. I was always taught to full fill my obligations even when I didn't want to. And this time was no exception. It was a lesson that had stayed with me for years, through adolescence and my early twenties. It wasn't something that was easily forgettable. Not that I didn't consider doing the opposite because that was what the other half of my heart and mind were telling me to do. There was no reason for me to have to go in to that club and help that vampire when he didn't help me. The only thing keeping me from following through was my stupid pride and stubbornness. Even though it was something that I was taught to do, I remembered an exception to the rule. That there was a difference between full filling duty and being a push over. And that's what I was doing now, I was being a push over. I had always been a push over. I always just let things go by and never challenged them, even when the situation called for it. I had been doing it all my life and I hated it. So when was I going to grow a freaking backbone and stand up for myself? When was I going to stop helping people who didn't return the favor?

"Screw this. I'm not going in tonight." I whispered to myself as the water pelted down on me. I reached to the wall and turned the knob and the water was gone. I stood there in the shower, just feeling the steam rise up around me and struggled to keep my frazzled nerves steady. It wouldn't do me any good to start crying again.

I got out of the shower and wrapped the towel around my damp body and shuffled across the tiles to the counter where my change of clothes were waiting. I dried my battered body and picked up the roll of ace bandages sitting on the top of the small pile and began wounding it around my ribcage, taking care not to do it too tightly. Once it was secure, I bit my bottom lip and grimaced when I bent down to pull on my panties and shorts, the bending was the worst because there was no way around it. Then there was the task of having to pull on a bra and a tank top which required some movement and that in turn brought on the pain. I gritted my teeth and just went through it. When I was finally dressed, I ran a comb through my hair just to get the knots out and then left the bathroom and shut the lights off. I headed right to my bed and crawled back under the covers.

I wasn't even laying there for 2 minutes before the tears started rolling down my face.

* * *

"I am so glad this day is over." Sookie mumbled to herself as she got out of her car and slammed the door shut. She stood there for a moment and just enjoyed the silence of the early night after the chaos of her day. She had been in a bad enough mood with the customers being extra rowdy and then there was Sam to contend with. After their talk, he still tried to make conversation and no matter how much she ignored him, he kept it up all afternoon and right up until she was ready to leave. She never thought she would ever be glad to be rid of him, but standing beside her car, she was glad she wouldn't have to deal with him until tomorrow. She looked around the yard and spotted Allie's car parked in it's usual spot on the right side of the house and smiled. That mean her cousin hadn't left for work yet. She would be able to get a moment to spend with her.

Sookie hurried across the yard and into the house, shutting the door and dropping her bag on the hallway table. The downstairs was dark and there was no noise at all coming from the second floor. That was strange. Allie's car was here, so she obviously hadn't left for work. But then why was everything so deathly quiet? Sookie felt her heart thud as she slowly walked up the step, she didn't know what to make of this and had learned from past experiences that when in doubt, proceed with caution. And that was what she did. She let down the walls in her mind and listened for any foreign thoughts. She reached the landing and there was no sign of anything amiss. No tables over turned, no glass shards on the floor, no broken furniture, nothing was out of place. She looked down the hall to her cousin's room and saw that the door was closed but there was light coming from under it, so she must be still sleeping. Sookie breathed a sigh of relief and walked towards the room, her hand reached for the knob and turned it swiftly. She was ready to walk in quietly so she wouldn't wake Allison, but she was shocked when she opened the door and saw her cousin standing at the window, with her back to Sookie and staring out into the yard. She didn't even turn when Sookie walked into the room and that raised a red flag. Sookie could tell by the girl's posture that something was wrong. "Allison? What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice sounding strained, as if she were weakened by something. "What makes you question that anything is wrong?"

"Because the house is dark, there is no noise coming from anywhere and your car is here and you usually come downstairs when I get home." Sookie explained, stepping into the room with her eyes on her cousin's back. While she couldn't read Allison's mind at the moment, she could still feel something strange radiating from her. "Not to mention you won't look at me and that makes me worry. So can you just tell me what is going on before I whip myself into a panic?"

"If I tell you, you need to remember something." Allie said slowly, her body moving slightly as if to get comfortable in her standing position. "Just remember to stay calm and that I am ok."

"You're ok? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't you be ok?" Sookie snapped furiously, her mind already jumping ahead to something bad, and she didn't know how bad it might be. But if Allison was telling her to stay calm then that meant there was something bad about to come around the corner and she had to prepare herself. "Allison...?"

"This is why." The young brunette said and Sookie didn't know what she meant by that. It didn't explain anything. But she got the message when her cousin finally turned around and faced her.

"Oh god. No." Sookie cried out softly, her hand coming up to her mouth when she looked at Allison. There was no more horrifying sight that she had ever seen then the one in front of her eyes at this very moment. Allie was broken, she was utterly broken. Dark purple bruises surrounded her eyes that were so dark they almost didn't look real, there was a bandage on her forehead showing that she had been bleeding there from a cut. The skin on her arms and legs were covered in wide spread blue and purple marks, there was hardly a spot that wasn't covered in bruises. And just when it couldn't get any worse, Allison reached down and pulled up the bottom of her tank top and Sookie nearly wept when she saw the wrappings on her ribcage.

"It's just a few fractures. Nothing too bad." Allison said, dropping her hand and looking down at the floor. "I'm fine."

"Not too bad? What the fuck is wrong with you? You look like you were beaten to literally an inch of your life." Sookie snapped, feeling a slight anger wash over her at that second. "You are not fine."

"But I am. I may not look it. But I will be fine." Allison said, lifting her head to stare Sookie in the eye. It was hard for her to keep her focus on her cousin when she looked so hurt and beaten.

"What happened to you?" Sookie managed to ask, wanting to go to her cousin but she held back because she knew even the smallest touch could put her in more pain then she already was in.

"I was at work last night and everything was ok. But then I overheard a human couple's thoughts and they were going to try and drain one of the vampires. So I went out to warn a bartender about it and Eric had them thrown out." Allison explained, slowly making her way towards the bed and Sookie could only watch her with tears in her eyes. "And when I was leaving, I had just reached my car when I was attacked. It was the couple that had been thrown out. They didn't like that I messed up their plans and they were paying me back."

"Damn it, damn it, damn it." Sookie muttered, taking it in and trying not to cry but she was finding it very hard to do so. "Where was Eric when this was happening? You drank his blood and he should have felt that you were in danger? Why didn't he show up and save you?"

"I don't know and I don't care." Allison said, sitting down and looking like she was on the verge of crying herself. "I thought...I thought he cared. Or at least cared enough to help me when I was in trouble. But I guess he doesn't."

"Oh Allie..." Sookie started to say, walking over to the bed and sitting down beside her cousin and went to reach out for her hand but Allison shook her head.

"Don't Sookie. I can't handle it if you touch me right now. I will just start crying." She said, sniffling slightly and turned her head to the side.

"Ok." Sookie agreed, laying her hand down on the bed and sighed. "Is there anything you need?"

"No, I'm ok. The hospital gave me pain-killers and said to rest so I will be ok." Allison replied, tucking her hair back. "But there is one thing you could do for me."

"Anything."

"Call Fangtasia and tell Pam I won't be coming in tonight. But don't tell her why. It's none of their business."

"That's it?"

"Yes. That's it."

Sookie nodded and stood up, getting the feeling that her cousin wanted to be left alone. She leaned over and kissed the top of Allison's head and then went to leave the room to make the call. She got to the doorway when she looked back and saw Allie staring out the window again with small tears rolling down her face.


	8. I'm Broken Too

**Chapter 8 I'm Broken Too**

"Good Morning."

"It's not a good morning. But it is a better one." I replied with a half smile as I turned my head and looked at my cousin who was lying next to me in the same clothes she had been wearing last night. "Why are you in my bed?"

"After I called Fangtasia like you asked, I came back in here to make sure you were ok and I didn't want to leave you alone in case you needed me, so I stayed." Sookie said, propping herself up on her elbow to look at me. Her face still was heavy with concern and I could probably guess why. With all the light from the morning coming in through the windows, my injuries most likely looked worse then they did last night. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap. But that is to be expected with two fractured ribs and a body covered in bruises." I grumbled, reaching up to touch my face and winced when my fingers brushed over my blackened eyes. "I just hope it won't be long until I can be up and about."

"Are you going to go back to work for Eric?" Sookie wanted to know, nervously twisting her blonde hair around her index finger.

"I haven't really thought about it, to be honest." I answered, my mind drifting to the vampire club and it's gorgeous blonde owner. "It's just difficult to even think about Eric right now."

"Is it because you like him?" She questioned hesitantly as if she knew it was painful for me.

"I'm not sure." It was a lie of course, but I just couldn't say it out loud. I felt too betrayed to even admit it to myself. How could I possibly have feelings for someone who was supposed to show up and save me and they didn't? It hurt me deeply that Eric hadn't been there even though our blood bond was supposed to alert him to every emotion I was feeling. It obviously worked in the past since he was always able to tell when I was aroused and I never wanted him to know that. But the one time when I did want him to feel my emotions, a time when I really needed him to be there, he wasn't. And that's what was so hurtful.

"I'm sure there is a logical reason for him not being there." Sookie tried to say but I didn't want to hear it.

"Since when did you start defending Eric Northman?" I asked, moving around so I could pull myself into a sitting position against my pillows. It was painful and slow and it frustrated me. I wasn't used to having to be so careful of every move I made. "Can we not talk about him right now?"

"Fine with me. Let's talk about today." She said, sitting up and crossing her legs under her body and facing me. "So I'm going to call in and take the day off..."

"No you are not." I interrupted before she could finish. "Sookie, I do not need a babysitter."

"But you are in pain." She pointed out, a stubborn look settling on her face. "I'm not just going to leave you here alone all day."

"Yes you are because I said so. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. My legs aren't broken, I am able to walk around and get anything I might need." I told her, smiling at her concern. Sookie had always been protective over me ever since we were kids and that hadn't stopped now that we were adults. "Look, I love you and I appreciate you wanting to take care of me, but I am a big girl. If I managed to drive myself home from the hospital, then I am capable of being alone."

"Are you sure? Because I really don't mind calling out." She said, standing up and straightening out her wrinkled uniform.

"I'm sure. Go to work. And go see Bill afterward. I will be perfectly ok." I waved my hand at the door and nodded in it's direction. "And don't call me a million times to check up on me."

"I just worry." Sookie exclaimed as she walked out of my room and smiled over her shoulder. "Call if you need anything."

"I will. Now get out of here."

**

* * *

****2 hours later...**

"Why did I come today? I should have just stayed home."

Sookie closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall in the bathroom. It had been a chaotic start to the day and she was ready to cry out of frustration. She thought that once Allison said it was ok to leave her at the house and that she would be ok, then things would be fine. But that was not the case at all. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong that morning. She was late getting out of the house because she was still apprehensive about leaving her injured cousin alone. And when she finally did manage to pull herself out of the house and get into the car, she hadn't been driving for more then 4 minutes before she got a flat tire. So changing it only delayed her even more. And by the time she got to Merlottes, Sam was in a bad mood because she was late and Arlene was the only other waitress there at the time. Not to mention every customer seemed to be feeding off the negativity in the air and no one was pleasant or easy to deal with. And it made it harder for her because she also had to hear their nasty thoughts constantly. She tried to tune it out and concentrate on her work, but her mind was obviously else where and she was not as focused as she should have been. So she was messing up orders and dropping drinks and being yelled at by the customers. And after two hours of this, she couldn't take it anymore and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Bitch you better stop hiding out in here and get that sweet little ass of yours back on the floor." Lafayette's comical voice came through the door and broke her out of the muddle in her head.

"I'm not hiding. I'm taking a break." Sookie replied, standing up and opening the stall door to find her friend leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.

"Alright what is up with you? You've been distracted all morning and that's not like you." He questioned, watching her as she walked to the counter and wiped her face with the back of her hand. "And why do you look like you are about to cry?"

"I just have some stuff going on." She replied, running her hand through her hair and trying to compose herself.

"It's not just stuff. I would say it's more like heavy shit that you have going on." He said, the teasing tone dropping from his voice and his face actually looking serious for once. "You look like you need to unload."

"You have no idea." Sookie mumbled, leaning against the counter and looked down at her sneakers. She took a deep breath, debating whether or not to say anything. And then decided to just go with it and tell him. So she did. She told him about coming home and finding Allison beaten up. She explained what Allison had told her about overhearing the human couple's thoughts. She told him about what had happened to her outside of Fangtasia and Eric not showing up to save Allison. And about her cousin's extensive injuries, working herself into such a frenzy that she ended up crying and Lafayette winded up putting his arm around her shoulder to comfort her.

"Damn girl. That was some heavy shit." He mumbled, laying his head against hers. "But she's ok? I mean, Allie is going to be fine, right?"

"Physically, yes. But emotionally, I'm not so sure." Sookie told him, thinking of the hurt look that was on her cousin's face when Eric was mentioned. "She just looked so betrayed when we were talking about it and I feel betrayed too. I just don't understand. Where was he? He was supposed to protect her from this kind of thing."

"Girl, I have given up trying to understand how vampires operate, even ones as sexy as Eric Northman." Lafayette replied, trying to lighten the mood. "But I take it that your cousin wants an answer."

"She claims she doesn't want to hear it, but I know deep down that she wants to understand why." Sookie sighed when she thought of her cousin. "I think she got a lot more then she bargained for when she got involved with Eric."

"Maybe, but it's not all her fault. Eric set his sights on her from the beginning. So really, she never had a chance." He pointed out, squeezing her shoulders. "Besides, it's hard to resist that vamp. He is sex on a stick. Any girl, or guy for that matter would be hard pressed to find anything better."

"She deserves better though. She doesn't need to be around this kind of crap. It's what I have been trying to protect her from." Sookie exclaimed, feeling like a failure. "Allison is like my sister and I should have done a better job at keeping her safe."

"She is also a grown ass woman who knew what she was taking on when she went to work with Eric. She knew what he was like and she still felt like she wanted to do this. So don't blame yourself." Lafayette informer her. "Allison is going to be fine and so are you. So don't try and take this on yourself. You can lean on me if you need to."

"Thanks. I really appreciate that." Sookie smiled and wrapped her arms around her friend. "And thanks listening to me."

"Bitch, it is what I do. Just call me Oprah."

**

* * *

****3 hours later...**

"Don't think about him. Don't think about him." I muttered to myself as I squeezed my eyes shut and tried desperately to forget about that damn Eric Northman, but it was no use. I had been trying and failing to stop these thoughts all day and it was slowly starting to drive me insane.

After I had forced Sookie to go into work, I had managed to drag myself out of bed and into the shower. Even though I felt horrible and would have liked to just stay in bed until it was over, I knew that forcing myself to at least get up a few time would do me some good. And showering every day was the one thing that made me feel better. Not much, but a little and that was a vast improvement. After I was dressed in a clean pair of shorts and a tank top, I combed my hair and put it in a loose braid so it was out of my face. I thought about going out on the porch for a while but then decided against it and went back to bed. I laid there for hours, trying to rest but my mind was the thing keeping me from relaxing. I tried just doing what Sookie did and put up walls, but I was so drained mentally and physically and emotionally that I wasn't able to keep it up and everything came flooding into my head. I couldn't stop my thoughts and what was bothering me the most was that they were all the same.

All I could think about was Eric. Eric and his sexy smirk. Eric and that arrogant air about him. That sexy body. The feel of his hands. His lips on mine. All our past encounters. It replayed over and over in my head. And it would have been easy to just give in and remember those exciting, sensual moments. But it wasn't that easy. I wish it were, but it wasn't. I couldn't just forget the one bad thing that negated the rest of the things that had happened between us. It had been so hurtful that every time I thought about it, it made my heart thud painfully hard against my chest. I knew Eric didn't think like humans did and he certainly didn't think like other vampires did, but I guess I held out hope that there would be the tiniest shred of humanity in him. Enough where he wouldn't ignore me when he knew I was in trouble. I was naïve enough to think there was good in everyone and I was beginning to realize that wasn't true. Not everyone had a heart, especially not vampires. Sure Bill Compton was the exception, but that a rarity. And Eric did not fall into that category by any stretch of the imagination.

So why couldn't I stop thinking about him?

"This is such a crock of shit." I mumbled, not thinking and turned on my side which turned out to be a mistake.

The pain came swift and it came hard. I didn't know what I was thinking when I decided to turn my body over, clearly I wasn't thinking. It felt like a knife had been driven into my ribcage and someone was turning it in slow, painful circles. It made tears spring to my eyes and I instantly brought my hand to my side as if that was supposed to help. I somehow turned again on my back and bit the inside of my mouth to stop myself from screaming out loud. I didn't need the neighbors calling the police because of my screams. So I suffered in silence and laid there until the pain subsided and then reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the bottle of painkillers and popped two in my mouth. As I was setting it down, my eyes landed on my cell phone and I didn't think twice before picking it up and dialing the number in my head. I knew it would go straight to voice mail, but that was what I wanted. I had no desire to speak directly to this person. I waited until the answering machine played it's message and then I spoke.

"Hi, it's Allison Stackhouse. I'm just calling to inform you that I'm not going to be in again tonight. Goodbye."

I shut the phone and then shut it off. Once these painkillers started working, I would be dead to the world and before that happened, I didn't want to have to be distracted by the stupid phone. I just wanted to drift away and be numb to everything around me. It made the pain easier to deal with and that's what I needed right now. I just didn't have the strength to face anything or anyone. I wasn't in any shape to defend myself, so I just wanted to be alone.

* * *

"You look like you could use some relaxing." Bill's voice greeted her as she walked up the steps to where he was waiting for her on the porch.

"You have no idea." Sookie replied, dropping her bag and immediately fell into his arms. She rested her head against his solid chest and closed her eyes, wishing she could stay like this forever. Bill's embrace always made her feel safe and secure and that was something she needed after this day. She had felt better once she had spoken with Lafayette, but that didn't mean the day went smoothly after their conversation. People were still in a bad mood and she was still distracted so it still turned out to be a crummy end to the day. Maybe tomorrow would be better. At least now she was with the man that she loved. "Can we just stay out here for a while? It's soothing."

"Anything you want." Bill agreed, moving them over to the bench against the wall and they both sat down with their arms still around each other. He set his chin on top of her head and sighed. "Are you still thinking about Allison?"

"That's all I have been doing all day." Sookie responded, feeling her body fit against his. "I've been constantly worrying about whether she is ok, if she is in pain or needs me to be there. But she told me to not call and not worry. But I can't help it. I hate knowing that she is in pain."

"That's what I love about you." Bill said, placing his finger under her chin and bringing her face up to meet his. "You care so deeply for your friends and family. You feel their pain as if it were your own. I don't understand how you can do that."

"I wish I couldn't care so much." Sookie admitted, shaking her head softly.

"Then you wouldn't be you." Bill stated with a deep laugh that made her smile. She loved hearing him make such a human sound.

"I suppose you're right." She agreed, touching his face with her fingers. "Were you ever like that when you were human?"

"It was different in those times. Not that, many men are comfortable showing their emotions in the present time, but when I was human, it was certainly not shown ever." He explained with a smile, leaning down to kiss her.

"You have no problem showing me that you care." She grinned, feeling her mood lift when she spoke.

"That's because you've changed me." Bill replied simply and together they tightened their hold on each other.

"I love you Bill."

"And I love you Sookie Stackhouse."

_Ring...ring...ring_

"I should get that. It may be Allison." Sookie told him, climbing out of his lap and over to where her bag was sitting on the porch and dug through it until she found her phone. She didn't even look at the screen to see the number and just pressed it to her ear. "Hello."

"WHERE IS SHE?"

"Eric?" Sookie asked, her face draining when she heard the angry tone in his voice. She looked at Bill and he looked as confused as she was. "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I am talking about." He screamed so loudly that she had to hold the phone away from her ear. "I hired your annoying cousin after she begged me for a job and then after one night she decides not to come in. And then I wake up tonight only to listen to my messages and hear that she isn't coming in again. What the fuck is going on?"

"I'm not getting involved with this. This is between you and Allison. You work it out with her." Sookie snapped, glaring at the ground as she spoke. It took all she had not to throw the phone against the wall. "You know what you did Eric."

"I DID NOTHING."

"Exactly, you didn't do anything. And that's why you are a dick!" She shouted into the phone and then did what she wasn't going to do and threw the phone against the house.

* * *

"Ok, I have been awake for hours. I need to sleep." I mentally screamed at myself as I sat up in my bed in my dimly lit room and stared at the wall for seemed like the millionth time that day.

I sighed and pressed my lips together. It had been a long and painful day. I had woken up 2 hours after I had taken the painkillers and since then I tried to keep myself from going insane. But that was next to impossible. If it wasn't my thoughts that kept me miserable, it was the physical pain. No matter which way I moved and turned, there was always some kind of shooting throb somewhere in my body. So it was very hard to stay comfortable. I refused to take more pills because I didn't want to become dependent on them and would only take them if the pain was that unbearable. So for most of the day, I had been lying on my back. I tried flipping through the TV channels, but nothing interested me. Or more accurately, nothing distracted me enough to focus on it. I tried turning on the radio, but the music only made my head pound and I soon shut it off. The only thing I could do successfully was lay there and stare at my ceiling, and that's what I did for the rest of the afternoon. It wasn't until the sky turned black outside that I finally made myself sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed and set them on the floor. For the moment, I wasn't in a lot of pain. As long as I kept myself still, I almost felt normal. And that was the most peace I had gotten all day.

"You better have a good explanation for missing two nights of work." A cold voice came from across the room by the window and I didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. I should have been startled to hear it but I wasn't.

"Go away Eric." I said quietly, keeping my head down. I didn't want to look at him. My peace had been broken by his presence and if I turned around and looked at his face then I knew I would start crying. "I don't want to see you."

"You don't really have a choice in the matter. I'm your boss." He replied, a smug tone set to his voice and I felt a ripple of anger rush through me and I wondered if he could feel that. He answered that when he spoke again. "Ah, angry are we? And what do you have to be angry about?"

"If you don't know, then I'm not telling you." I muttered, wondering why the hell he was here. He obviously didn't give a damn about me. Maybe he just wanted to yell at me because it was fun for him. "Go find out for yourself."

"I already tried. Your cousin refused to tell me anything." He said, his voice filled with annoyance. "So you explain to me why you refuse to come in, especially after I did you this huge favor."

"You should know." I shot back, looking down at my bare feet.

"Enlighten me."

"NO."

"Don't you tell me no."

"Go fuck yourself."

"You are going to tell me what is going on before I force it out of you." He demanded, taking steps across the floor until I could he was on the other side of the bed. I didn't move at first, partially because I was in pain and partially because I was afraid of what he would do. At this point nothing was off limits and that was terrifying. "TELL ME NOW!"

"Fine. This is what is going on you stupid asshole. This is why I haven't' been in." I screamed and then stood up from the bed as normally as I could and with every ounce of strength I had, I turned around and faced Eric for the first time in days. I couldn't even look at his face when his eyes landed on my bruised and battered body.


	9. Healing

**Chapter 9 Healing**

"What happened?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know." The tiny brunette hissed in his direction, crossing her bruised covered arms over her bruised covered body and rolled her eyes in that infuriating human way that seemed to be the norm for girls her age.

"Why else would I be here?" He questioned, not at all amused by her attitude.

"Oh gee I don't know. Maybe to make my life more painful then it was before." She snapped, shaking her head so hard that a few strands of hair fell loose from her braid. "Don't worry, that was taken care of two nights ago."

"Two nights ago, you were working for me." He pointed out, frowning at the girl because of the way she was talking to him. No one talked to him like that. No one had the guts to. "At what point did this happen?"

"Why do you care?" Allison asked, leaning against a set of drawers and looked across the room at him. "Oh wait, I forgot. You don't care. That was made obvious when you left me to get beaten in the parking lot outside your own club."

"WHAT?" He said, louder then he meant to which caused the girl to flinch. "This happened outside the bar? By who?"

"Who do you fucking think, Eric?" She yelled, her voice wavering when she said his name. She looked like she wanted to raise her arms and strike him, but he could see the strain in her body from the smallest of movements, she was hurt worse then he could see. "It was that human couple I warned your bartender about. You know, the ones who were planning on committing a crime in your bar that night. The night you yelled at me for not coming to you first when I heard their thoughts. Yea, they didn't like the fact that I got them thrown out and they came back to teach me a lesson."

"And they jumped you." Eric continued, feeling his cold hands freeze into fists. He watched the expression on her face go from anger to something that looked like betrayal. It made something stir inside of him.

"To put it mildly, yes. They assaulted me, hit me with their fists and kicked me until my ribs fractured and my head was bleeding. There isn't a part of me that doesn't have some kind of bruise on it. And it's all thanks to you." She said, bitterness dripping from every word that came out of her mouth.

"You're blaming this on me?" Eric smirked, almost wanting to laugh that this human had the audacity to blame him.

"Yes I am blaming it on you. And you want to know why?" She asked, shuffling across the wooden floor until she was standing in front of him. "Because you should have been there. You should have shown up and saved me. And you didn't."

"I didn't feel anything." He answered with a shrug, not meeting her eye and instead walked passed her. "How do I know you didn't plan this?"

"You have some freaking nerve to say that to me." She told him, breathing heavily through her nose. "I can't believe you would actually say that to my face. After what I did for you, you should be trying to apologize. I didn't have to come out and warn your employees. I didn't have to say anything when I heard their plans to drain a vampire. I could have just ignored it and not said a word. I could have just let them go ahead and do what they were going to do..."

"We would have..."

"Shut up, I'm not finished." Allison snapped, her hand moving to her side as she turned to look at him. She didn't make a sound but he could feel the pain radiating from her and it was annoying him. "It could have happened to any of the vampires in there. Heck it could have been you that they wanted to silver. I didn't have to do a damn thing if I didn't want to. But I just so happened to believe in equal rights and no one should get attacked for no reason at all. Including vampires..."

"As I was saying..." He tried to cut in but she interrupted again.

"No, I didn't have to do a fucking thing to help you. And yet you show you gratitude so nicely. Yelling at me, practically choking me on the floor. Real great behavior." She shouted, the pain evident in not only her body, but her voice now too. "And as if it couldn't get any worse then you scaring me to death, I get beaten up right outside your bar from the same people I was trying to protect you from."

"I'm a vampire. I don't need protecting." He pointed out, looking over his shoulder at her and into her green eyes that were rimmed by dark bruises. For a reason he couldn't fathom, he couldn't hold the gaze and soon dropped it. It made him feel strange to see her face so hurt the way it was.

"And you know what the worse part is?" She asked, her voice taking on the tone that signaled she wasn't far from crying. He turned his entire body around to face her. She just looked at him like he was barely even a vampire. She looked at him as if he were a male human who had disappointed her. "The fact that you vamps claim that by us drinking your blood, it means you'll always be able to find us. Always be able to feel what we are feeling. And I know that works for us because you have always felt my emotions..."

"Oh yea." Eric smirked, remembering the strong waves of satisfaction and desire he had felt from her not too long after they first met.

"So why didn't you feel what was happening?" She threw at him a lone tear rolling down her bruised cheek. "Why didn't you feel my panic? Why didn't you feel my fear? Why didn't you feel my pain?"

"I don't know." He answered, no emotion in his voice at all.

"See, what I don't get is if you just didn't feel it, or if you did feel it and just ignored it. And the fact that you felt my emotions in the past makes me think you did know I was in trouble and you just chose to let it happen and not step in." Allison hissed, the tears coming faster now and he had to turn away or else he would snap and possibly hurt her. He didn't want to give her more pain. She just wiped her tears away and laughed sarcastically to herself. "I guess what they say about vampires is true. They don't care unless it somehow benefits them."

"I have a matter to attend to." Eric stated and before she could say another word, he was out the window and flying away from the house, leaving behind a confused little girl.

* * *

"Bitch, haven't you ever heard of makeup?"

"Bitch haven't you ever heard of calling before you show up?" A grin spread across my face when the teasing face of my friend appeared in the doorway of my room. "What are you doing here Lafayette? Shouldn't you be working the night shift?"

"I should be, but I thought it would be more entertaining to drop in on you." He replied, waltzing into the room in the way he always did and dropped down on the end of the bed. "Girl, do you know what you look like?"

"Yea I have some idea." I said, using my hands to slowly lift myself up into a sitting position. Lafayette jumped up and came over to help me and fluff up the pillows behind my back. I smiled and settled against them. "I guess Sookie told you what happened."

"She was upset and she needed a shoulder to cry on." He shrugged, laying across the foot of the bed and propped himself up on an elbow. "And I had to come to see for myself that you were ok."

"She didn't ask you to check on me did she?" I questioned, raising my eyebrow at him. "Because we both know that is something she would do."

"She's just being a good cousin." Lafayette insisted twirling the end of his head scarf around his finger. "Besides, we haven't seen much of each other since...well you know."

"You mean since Sam decided to be a dick?" I suggested, bitterness filling my voice at the mention of my former boss. I sighed and looked ay my friend. "You know, sometimes I wish things were the way they were. Like they had never changed."

"I get that feeling from time to time."

"But I don't think I'm in the wrong here. And as much as I wish Sam and I were civil, I just don't think that is going to happen." I sighed again, shrugging my shoulders slightly.

"Sam's stubborn, but he's not an idiot." Lafayette replied, slapping my foot with the palm of his hand. "Now if you want to talk idiots, let's talk about that Mr. Eric Northman."

"How about not?" I insisted, feeling the urge to fidget. "He came by earlier and I not exactly in the mood to discuss him more."

"He was here?" Lafayette exclaimed, sitting upright and his playful expression turning to one of anger. "That son of a bitch."

"Lafayette, it's ok." I soothed, waving my hand to calm him. "It was fine. It gave me the chance to yell at him and of course he responds in his typical Eric way and doesn't take it seriously and then leaves out my window."

"Is he coming back?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes at my window. "Because I'll stake his ass."

"Such violence." I joked and shook my head. "I'm not sure if he is and even if he does, I will just make him leave and say he is no longer welcome in this house."

"Would you really do that?" Lafayette glanced at me curiously, his eyes sparkling with something. "I mean, I've seen the way you look at him. The way he looks at you..."

"Shut up. I'm not listening." I told him, placing my fingers in my ears until Lafayette threw his hands up in defeat. "That's a sore subject for me right now. I don't know how I feel about him."

"I think you do, but you are just not willing to admit it to yourself." He pointed out, pressing his lips together. "But forget that. Let's discuss something else."

"Like what?"

"Like how we are going to make you look presentable so you can be seen in public again." Lafayette said in all seriousness. "Girl, you are just one big fucking train wreck."

"Oh I am so glad you are here."

* * *

"Oh here comes trouble." Sookie muttered, sitting up on the bench that she and Bill were still on as her eyes zeroed on the stalking figure coming towards them from across the yard. "He looks angry."

"Yes he does." Bill muttered, eying the blonde vampire with a guarded look. "Hello Eric."

"Don't hello me." Eric snapped, his eyes narrowing down to tiny slits. "Explain yourselves."

"Explain what...exactly?" Sookie pretended to be naïve, but she knew what Eric was looking so angry about. She had hoped like a child that he would somehow not find out about Allison's injuries. But it was quite obvious that the opposite had happened.

"I do not have the patience to deal with you tonight Ms. Stackhouse." Eric threatened, stepping up onto the porch so he towered over them both. "You know what I am talking about."

"Uh...um..." Sookie struggled to find a way to get out of this but she didn't see any other way but the truth. She glanced up at Eric and into his furious blue eyes. "Why do you even care?"

"Excuse me?" Eric's hand curled up so tightly that Bill was at her side in an instant.

"Seriously. Why do you care?" Sookie repeated, honestly curious. "I mean, no offense, but it just doesn't seem like you care about anyone. So why would my cousin getting hurt be of any concern to you?"

"That's not answering the question." Eric snapped, looking like he was ready to pounce but he held himself back.

"Well then clarify what you want to know." Sookie told him, not really wanting to give him any information on her cousin.

"Why didn't you think to tell me what happened to her?"

"Because it's not your business." Sookie shot back ignoring Bill's warning looks. She stepped up to Eric and said "It's obvious that you don't care about her safety and well being. I didn't think you would take an interest if I were to tell you she was hurt."

"She works for me. I am her boss. And I have the right to know why my employee is not showing up for work." Eric hissed, raising his nose in the air. "Especially when that reason is because she was jumped outside my own bar."

"So that's all there is to it?" Sookie asked, not truly believing what he was saying. "You are only angry because she is just an employee to you?"

"That's correct."

"You are such an ass." Sookie said without thinking. "How can you be so cold-hearted?"

"I'm a vampire. I don't have a heart." Eric said with no emotion in his face.

"That's for damn sure." Sookie huffed, angering the blonde vampire so much that his fangs clicked and appeared, forcing her back against Bill.

"I wouldn't push me. I am not a vampire you want to piss off tonight." Eric warned, flashing his fang at her so threateningly, that Bill stepped between them.

"Enough Eric. She answered your question." Bill told him, placing his hands on the other vampire's chest to hold him away. "I think it is time that you leave."

"The two of you are extremely annoying. You're perfect for each other." Eric grumbled, before stepping backwards off the porch and shooting up into the air and away from the house. Sookie watched him leave and let out the breath she was holding.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Bill asked, wrapping his cold arm around her waist.

"I'm fine." Sookie answered, leaning into his embrace and wondered if what she was saying was the truth.

* * *

"I look like the biggest fucking mess ever." I said out loud to myself as I stood in front of my mirror in my black tank top and black shorts and looked at the chaos that was my body.

After Lafayette had left, I had been in a slightly better mood. My spirits had been raised just from interacting with someone and I felt like I was going to be able to get through this. But then I made the mistake of trying to do something so simple as looking in the mirror and that's when everything fell apart. I was so sure that seeing my reflection this time around wouldn't be as heartbreaking as it had been in the last two days. But I was so wrong. Just one glance in the mirror above the sink in my bathroom was enough to make my mood take a dive and I was back to being miserable both physically and emotionally. I was in such a dark place that I decided to make myself even more depressed by standing in front of the full length mirror on my door and picking apart how horrible my bruises looked. They were even worse tonight then they had been 48 hours ago. While the swelling had gone down, the bruises themselves had darkened even more and had gone from purple to just about black. I looked so terrible that my lip trembled every so often and I knew I was minutes away from bursting into tears.

"You look like shit." The comment came from across the room and I turned to see Eric coming through my window for the second time that night.

"Leave me alone." I said, turning back to the mirror and tilting my head as I ran my hands down my arms. I frowned at how painful it still felt just to touch my skin. I looked over my shoulder to see Eric standing there, obviously with no intention of leaving. "Why are you still here?"

"I came to right a wrong." He stated, shrugging out of his black leather jacket and tossed it onto my chair and stood in his black pants and black tank top. If I wasn't so angry with him, I would be definitely taken aback by how hot he looked right now. And although that passed through my head, it kept on going right out.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, still looking over my appearance in the mirror. I briefly held my hand to my ribs and winced at the sharp pain that shot up my side.

"I came to heal you. I don't need to be continuing to feel your pain until you heal on your own." He explained, his fangs clicking out and I whipped around without thinking. I had to curl over at the waist with my hands on my ribs to get the pain to subside. I lifted my head up to meet Eric's face and saw the glare from the whiteness of his fangs. He brought his wrist up to his mouth and I heard the familiar crunch of him biting into his skin. He pulled his arm away and I saw the blood dripping from his lips and running down his hand and hitting the floor. Eric's eyes stared at me and he held his wrist out to me. "Drink."

"No." I shook my head. There was no way I was doing that again. Sure it may heal me quickly, but I was not drinking from a vampire who didn't give a damn about me. There was just no way.

"Don't be stupid." Eric snapped, his eyes glaring at me as he motioned me to come over. "It will heal your injuries in minutes."

"I don't care." I snapped, finding the strength to practically shout at the man. I straightened up with a slight wobble and looked at him. "I'm not doing it."

"So you would rather be in pain for weeks, then to just give in and be fixed in 2 minutes?" He huffed, narrowing his eyes dangerously. He shook his head and pushed his arm towards me. "Stop being stubborn and just drink. And do it quickly, the wound will close soon."

"I told you no. It's not going to happen." I bit my bottom lip and breathed deeply. "Why are you doing this? It's clear to me and everyone else that you don't care. So why are you trying so damn hard to get me to take your blood?"

"You're right. I don't care." He said, stalking towards me and grabbing me before I could step away. I didn't even have a chance to cry out in pain before he shook me. "But I did hire you for a job and I expect you to do it. You are of no use to me if you are hurt."

"So this is just to benefit you?" I asked, feeling despair wash over me and I somehow managed to wiggle free from his grasp. I fell to the floor at his feet and wrapped my arms around myself. "You don't even feel bad for not being there?"

"No I don't." He said, not looking at me as he spoke. His voice held no remorse and that was what broke me. I was hoping he would have been apologetic, but that was not the case at all and it devastated me.

"I hate you." I shouted at him and then succumbed to my emotions and burst into tears on the floor of my bedroom. I didn't care that he was standing above me while I wept. I didn't care that was seeing me at my most vulnerable state and could ind up using it against me sometime down the line. I didn't even care that he had forbidden me to never cry in his presence again. All I cared about was that he wasn't sorry, he wasn't trying to apologize and he didn't even think he had done anything wrong. That's what killed me. How could he not feel any guilt for what had happened?

"Stop crying." Eric said quietly, kneeling down on one knee beside me and forced his hand under my chin. I had no choice but to look at him. His eyes were blank as he looked down at me.

"Stop trying to fix things. It's not going to work." I sobbed, twisting my face out of his hand and stared at the floor while the tears rocked my body. There was no comfort to be found in sight and I doubted that it would ever be ok. Not as long as Eric Northman was next to me. Speaking of the vampire, what he did next surprised us both.

Instead of getting angry at my tears, he moved closer to me and wrapped both his arms around my shaking body.

* * *

"You are a stupid stupid human." Eric murmured, running his hand down the bruised arm of the sleeping girl beside him.

He didn't know what possessed him to put his arms around her in a very human attempt at comforting, if that's what it was called. But he did it and felt very strange afterward. She had ended up crying herself to into a sleep like state in his arms and he was forced to pick up her frail body and lay her in bed. He was tempted to bite into his wrist again and force his blood down her throat, but he decided against it and instead laid down next to her in the bed, since she was in no condition to tell him not to. And for the next 40 minutes, he just looked at her, wondering what it was about her that had wormed it's way into his head. With her being so knocked out, he took the moment to inspect her body and was slightly surprised at the extent of her injuries. Her ribs were tightly bound to keep them in place and the bruises covered her skin under her clothes. If he had been human, he would have felt guilty, but he wasn't human. He was a vampire and a powerful one at that. He didn't feel guilty for his actions. And he didn't feel much of anything at all. Especially not for this human lying beside him in pain.

"You should have just drank my blood. You are extremely annoying when you are in pain." Eric said, touching her face with his fingers and watched her move around, trying to get comfortable. He wondered briefly if she could sense his presence beside her, even if she was asleep.

He got his answer when she moved closer to him and laid her head on his chest.

* * *

**A/N:**** I just wanted to take a second to send out so much love to those faithful readers who come back to read this story every time I post. It means so much to read your reviews and see how passionate you are about the story. It gives me inspiration to write and i couldn't be more grateful. Thanks again!**


	10. Where do we go?

**Chapter 10 Where do we go?**

"Where the hell did he go?" I asked out loud when I opened my eyes and saw that the vampire who had been in the room with me when I fell asleep, was no longer there. I struggled to push myself up into a sitting position and when I was able to maneuver into a comfortable pose, I just sat there with a frown on my face.

Even though I was curious about where Eric had run off to, I was glad he wasn't around because if he was still here, then he would surely be giving me a hard time and I already had enough to deal with on my own. I didn't need to be taking his bullshit. My face was hot when I remembered the fact that I had ended up crying on the floor at his feet. That was so embarrassing. Granted, he did surprise me when he put his arms around me, but I was still cringing at how ridiculous I must have looked in front of him. Not to mention I was now most likely going to pay for crying in his presence again. He really hated that reaction when it came to me. I wasn't sure if it was because it made him uncomfortable in the sense that it made him feel human, or if he just found it extremely irritating and it got on his nerves. For what ever reason, I knew that the next time I saw him, he was going to make a comment and I wanted to enjoy the peace before that happened. And it would happen. It was only a matter of time.

But even with the thought of Eric's anger looming over me, I couldn't help but notice that I felt a little bit of a thrill stemming from the fact that I had made him feel something. Even if it was anger.

"What is it about him that keeps making me think about him?" I asked myself, chewing on my nail as I settled deep into thought.

Ever since I first laid eyes on Eric on that night in Merlottes, I knew something was different about him. Despite what Sookie had told me about the things he did, and the stuff he said and the way he acted, I was still somewhat intrigued by him. Don't get me wrong, it didn't cancel out the fact that I was furious at him for not coming to my rescue the night of my attack, but intrigued I still was. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I knew logically it didn't make sense for me to like him. After all, he was the nastiest, meanest and most manipulative person I knew, and combined that with being a vampire and he was even more formidable then a normal human male. I didn't forget the hell that he had put Sookie and Bill through. I had to watch my cousin cry night after night because Eric was doing things to make everyone around her miserable. And for a long time, I had hoped I would never have to meet him. Why would I want to? He was a vampire who had no problem taking drastic measures to get what he wanted. And it wouldn't matter who he had to stomp on or go through to get what he desired, he had no sense of right or wrong and he certainly had no heart . Sookie had learned this and had tried her hardest to keep him from knowing too much about me. She occasionally suggested that I leave town for a couple of months at a time and work for a few friends that we shared who were scattered across the country, just so I wouldn't be any where near Bon Temps when all this business with Eric had started. He knew I existed of course, it was impossible to keep that a secret, but he had never shown any interest in my presence. Until now at least. And as Sookie kept reminding me, that wasn't a good sign.

"Well, look who's finally conscious." A familiar smug voice pointed out from across the room and I cringed without even turning my head to look at him. I fought the urge to roll my eyes as Eric pulled himself through my window and landed on the wooden floor and stood up to his full height. He was still dressed in his black clothing, only this time he was missing his leather jacket. He stuck his hands in his front pockets and walked towards the bed with a smirk on his face. "Are you ready to give up and accept my blood?"

"Are you ready to stop being an asshole?" I shot back with a smirk of my own. I had no qualms about playing the nasty card tonight. Eric had crossed a big line with me and I was done being the scared timid girl. It was time to take charge of things again.

"Someone is feeling adventurous tonight." Eric said, leaning across the bed until his face was practically touching mine. "Why is that?"

"How about you answer some of my questions instead?" I asked, moving away from him. If I stayed that close to his face then it would be very hard to not kiss him. "Like where were you just now?"

"Taking care of business." He answered simply, his hand moving up and down the length of my arm slowly. As cold as his skin was, he made my skin light up as if it were on fire. He obviously felt that and sat back with a satisfied smile on his face. "You like me touching you. I can feel it."

"That's not the point." I snapped, feeling something explode inside of me and I tried to move as carefully and as quickly as I could to get out of my bed. As soon as I was standing I looked at Eric. "You are such a liar. You can feel my emotions. You just admitted it."

"And what's your point?" He wanted to know, also standing with his arms crossed tightly over his broad chest. I couldn't deny that he looked incredible, but I had to push that thought away.

"My point is simple. You are a liar. You said you didn't feel anything coming from me the other night when I was attacked, but just now you felt my happiness. So there for, you weren't telling the truth." I shouted at him, ignoring the pain that my heightened voice had brought to my midsection.

"You are a real dumb ass Allison Stackhouse." Eric stated, shaking his head. "You obviously don't listen. I already told you that I didn't feel anything the night you were jumped outside my bar. I don't understand why I didn't but I didn't. Just like I can't understand why I was able to feel something just now."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" I questioned, sincerely doubting every word that had come out of his mouth so far. Eric had enough practice in lying and being manipulative. Sookie had shared his blood and she had told me he felt her every emotion. So that bullshit he was saying about not knowing I was in trouble was false. "We both know you are lying Eric. Just give it up."

"I'm not lying." Eric yelled, zipping across the room in a split second and grabbed me by both of my bruised arms before I had a moment to react. "I may not tell you what you want to hear, but that does not make me a liar."

"You're not fooling anyone, least of all me." I said, feeling the heaviness of his hands on my skin. I hated that he was lying directly to myself. He could have at least fessed up and said he couldn't be bothered helping me. I would have eventually gotten over that. But the fact that he was keeping up this ruse of pretending not to know was just pathetic and I didn't want to deal with him anymore. "Just leave me alone Eric."

"I'm not done with you yet." He replied, his cold eyes narrowing down as they met mine. I should have been scared but I wasn't.

"Well right now, you don't have much of a choice." I scoffed, wiggling out of his grasp despite the pain it caused me. I stepped backwards and nodded to the window. "Get out of here. I rescind your invitation to this house."

"You humans are so predictable." Eric rolled his eyes as he started sliding backwards as if a force was pushing him away and he had no control over it. He climbed back through the window and I followed so I could shut it again. He floated in the air beside the house and when I appeared at the window, he leaned closer to the glass and said with a sickeningly smile. "Just so you know, I took care of your attackers. If I didn't have any concern for your well being, then I wouldn't have acted at all."

"You are such a disappointment." I snapped, slamming the window shut and turning my back on him.

**

* * *

****20 minutes later...**

"What is he still doing here?" Sookie asked with a frown as she stared through the windshield of her car at the house where Eric was sitting on the porch steps with his arms on his knees and his head bent in the direction of his feet. It was a strange sight, not just because she wasn't expecting him to be there, but because of the look on his face. He looked like he was deep in thought about something and that usually wasn't him. Sookie shook her head and opened her door and slammed it shut, hoping to annoy him as he had done to her when he showed up at Bill's house earlier. Eric barely even looked up as she walked across the grass towards him. Normally he would make some kind of comment and she would stomp away and be offended but not this time. This time it was different. So when she reached the bottom step, she stopped and sat down hesitantly. "Eric? What are you still doing here?"

"Waiting for you to get home so you can invite me in again and I can teach your cousin a lesson." He responded with no emotion in his voice and turned his head to glance at her. "She rescinded her invitation to me."

"That doesn't surprise me." Sookie shrugged, wanting to smile at this statement. Allison had kicked Eric out! Now that was awesome. Eric however didn't look like he thought it was awesome. "You really upset her."

"That was not my fault. I had nothing to do with what happened." He responded, staring at the ground intensely. "And if that's what you were going to say then I'm going to be really pissed off."

"But do you see where she is coming from though?" Sookie asked gently, treading the subject carefully. The last thing she needed was to get Eric angry so she tried to show compassion. "She thought that everything I told her about vampire blood bonds were supposed to be true. Heck I thought it was supposed to be true. And then when it happens to her, she figured she was bonded to a powerful vampire who would jump to her rescue at the slightest inkling of trouble. But you didn't and she doesn't understand it."

"Nor do I. I have no understanding why I can feel only certain emotions from her and not others. It has never happened before, not to my knowledge. I am as much confused as the rest of you." He told her, his stone body sitting perfectly still on those steps. It was like he was frozen to them. Sookie couldn't imagine being able to be that motionless. She was always moving some part of her body.

"So you really had no idea that she was getting beat up?" She asked, wanting answers desperately that would help ease her cousin's pain. Even though Allison tried to pretend that she was over Eric, it was obvious that she was no where close. If anything, Sookie suspected that the younger Stackhouse girl was falling harder then she was ready for.

"No, I didn't. I didn't even feel anything after it happened. There was no indication that anything was wrong. It wasn't until I showed up in her bedroom tonight that I saw what had happened to her." Eric explained, sitting up straight suddenly and twisted his hands together. "I offered to heal her but she refused me."

"You can't really blame her for that. She's upset and pissed off and convinced that you were ignoring her pain." Sookie offered, almost feeling sorry for the blonde haired vampire sitting next to her. "Of course she wasn't going to drink your blood again."

"So she would rather suffer for weeks rather then give in?" Eric demanded, his face tightening as he spoke. "Because that makes a lot of sense."

"I get what you're saying and you're right, it doesn't make sense. But I see where she is coming from. And if she is convinced that you were lying then she isn't going to budge until she believes other wise." Sookie said, twirling her blonde hair around her fingers as she looked up at the second floor of the house. She turned her focus to Eric and reluctantly told him what was on her mind. "Not that I would ever admit this to anyone but you. But if it were up to me, I would have her drink your blood. If only so she wouldn't be in pain anymore."

"Hmm, interesting." Eric mumbled, his head nodding slightly. "I never thought you would be the more reasonable one out of the two of you."

"Fuck with her too much and you'll see how unreasonable I can be." Sookie warned him, getting up from her spot and climbed the rest of the stairs so she could hurry into the house. But when she opened the door she looked back to where she left Eric and asked one more thing that had been plaguing her mind for weeks now. "Do you even care about her?"

"I'm a vampire. I care about no one." He responded, twisting around to stare at her. "And don't think otherwise."

"You cared about me at one point. So I do think you are capable of feeling something for Allison." She countered, watching a frown settle on his face and she figured it was best to cut this short and go inside. "Good night Eric.

"Good night Ms. Stackhouse..."

* * *

**The Next Day**

"Ok, this is the third morning I've spent in bed and I am about to go crazy." I said out loud as I watched my clock hit 11:30. I rolled my eyes and listened to the empty house and thought about what I had been thinking about for the past few hours. "Maybe I should go back to Fangtasia tonight."

I know it sounded crazy to even consider going back to work for Eric, but truthfully I knew I couldn't hide out in my room forever. Not just because it wasn't realistic, but because I needed it for the money and my own sanity. Even though I was in a great deal of pain and I still looked like I had been in a car accident, I had to get out of this house. I was getting so sick and tired of being by myself and even though I could easily stay in bed and pop pain medication for the next week, I knew it would be better if I got up and rejoined society. It wasn't going to be easy and it would definitely put me back in Eric's presence, but that was a hurdle I was willing to take on. I didn't want to have to avoid everything that was painful in my life. That was not going to make me feel better and it might even hinder me in the long run. Besides, I wasn't going to sit back and be that weal little girl that people thought I was. I was going to grow a back bone and stand up for myself. And that meant starting with returning to work.

"This is going to be hell." I groaned, sitting up and moving my legs to the side of the bed, all the while trying not to scream from the pain. Not that it would matter. The house was completely silent. Sookie had left for Merlottes early that morning and she would be there all day. And I was glad for that. She had been fussing over me a lot since she first found out I was hurt and when she wasn't working she had barely left my side. It was sweet of her to be so concerned, but it also got annoying after a while. I was hurt, I wasn't dying. Plus it would be easier to sneak out of the house with her gone. Then she wouldn't have a chance to talk me out of it. And with how conflicted I was at the moment, it would be very easy to talk me out of anything.

I grabbed on to the dresser by my bed and used it to pull myself to my feet. I was always a little more stiff and sore in the mornings, but a nice hot bath would cure that. I shuffled into the bath room and flipped on the lights. I saw a clean pile of clothes and two towels already waiting for me on the counter and I smiled. Sookie had grown accustomed to what my body needed every day and she had gradually started doing little things like this. And it was sweet. Sookie had always been the maternal type, looking out for me as we were growing up. It was just in her nature to be taking care of people and that hadn't changed even when we were both in our twenties. I would have to thank her for that later. But now my focus was on the bath tub and I sat gingerly on the side of it as I turned the knobs and hot water started to pour down the faucet. I watched the steam rise and begin to fog the mirror. I wouldn't look at myself in the glass and just concentrated on pulling my clothes off my body without hurting myself further. Once I was standing there naked, I turned off the faucet and slipped into the hot water with a sense of relief rushing through me. I laid my head against the back of the tub and let my arms sink down to my sides. This was heaven. Oh I wish I could stay like this for the next couple of weeks. It would be so nice and relaxing. But it was another thing I knew I couldn't let myself do. I would eventually have to get out and face the world so I should just do it today. And I would. Except right now I was going to enjoy the quiet, it would get me mentally ready for work tonight and surely whatever shit Eric was going to throw my way.

"This is going to end so well for me." I sighed and sunk further into the water.

* * *

**Later that night**

"She's here." Pam's bored voice reached his ears the moment she stepped foot into his office. She didn't even bother knocking and just walked in as she usually did and just like every time she did this, he ignored her.

"Who's here?" Eric asked, not looking up from his desk where he had been staring at for the past 2 hours. He wasn't in the mood to deal with people and he just hoped that whatever Pam was here for wasn't something that required his energy at the moment.

"Don't play coy. You know who I'm talking about." Pam replied, examining her nails as she took a seat across the room from him. "You were never good at playing naïve."

"What's your point?" He growled, looking up at his progeny and noted that she was watching him with a smirk on her face.

"You were the one who was complaining about that girl not coming into work. I figured you would want to know that she arrived." Pam explained, looking bored. "But then again, I suppose you already knew that, since you gave her your blood and all."

"I did sense she was nearby." Eric said, sitting back and resting his elbows on the arms of the chair. "How did she look?"

"Like a fucking train wreck." Pam told him with a shrug as she stood up and began walking around. "I thought she was your little pet. I can't believe you let her get that beat up."

"It wasn't my fault. I didn't know it was going on." He shot back, his anger bubbling again at the fact that he had no control over something. He was supposed to be a feared vampire. And he was supposed to know everything that was going on. But being reminded that he was in the dark about this was making him pissed. "I didn't feel any emotion coming from her."

"Hmm, now things are getting more interesting." Pam pointed out, sitting on the edge of the desk and crossed her arms. "How is it possible for a blood bond to work at times but then fail also?"

"I have no idea. But the subject is closed." He announced, leveling his child with a stare that no doubt said he was serious.

"Fine, fine. I'll just go tend to the masses." Pam replied, getting up and walking to the door of his office at human speed, but before she left, she turned back to look at him. Her own expression was a more curious one. "Eric, have you given any more thought to what we discussed?"

"Not yet."

"Well you should. It could mean big things for us if we could know more about her." Pam mentioned before leaving him alone to go back to the main floor.

Eric waited a few minutes after she left before he got up to leave the office and made his way down the hall to the file room where Allison was. As he walked through the dimly lit hallway, he concentrated more then he usually did to see if he could pick up on her feelings. But there was nothing and that baffled him. There had to be a reason for that. Things as powerful as blood bonds do not fail unless by some thing supernatural, and even then Eric had never heard a case of it happening. Most vampires had thought it to be myth and he was included in that thinking. And if this was happening to his bond with Allison, then something was going on. And he was going to find out what.

"She's definitely not human, just like Sookie isn't entirely human." Eric mumbled, thinking of the blonde girl who had taken a back spot in his mind. "But Allison might just be more different then Sookie."

He stopped just shy of the door and saw that it was only partially closed. From the angle he stood at, he had a perfect view of the desk and the chair where Allison was sitting on. Even without looking at her face, he could imagine how she looked. It was obvious by the way she was sitting that she was still in a great amount of pain. But she was here doing her work. She was forcing herself to come in and do what he hired her to do even if she should have been at home resting. She was miserable, he could tell that and still she was pushing through the pain. It made his lifeless chest tighten and he frowned. He didn't like that she made him feel these human emotions. It was one thing if it was just sex and pleasure. But her being around him, was bringing out feelings he hadn't felt since he was human. And he didn't like it one bit.

**

* * *

**

**End of the night**

"So this wasn't so bad after all." I said to myself with a small smile as I left out the back door of the bar and stumbled towards my car. The night was still raging on, but I was tired and beginning to feel the pain become unbearable. So I had finished up the file I was working on and grabbed my bag and left. I didn't run into Eric, but I did pass by Pam, who looked at me with a frown as if trying to figure something out about me. I told her I was leaving and she just nodded and continued walking, but I could still sense her eyes on me. It was unsettling but I couldn't complain. The night had been uneventful and surprisingly, Eric hadn't once come by to talk, yell or even look at me. Maybe throwing him out of the house had shown that I was not a human he could mess with. It made my smile brighter as I reached in my bag to look for my keys as I went to my car.

"Well you can't leave before we have some kind of interaction." A familiar husky voice said in my ear and I didn't even bother looking up to know who it was. I knew that voice anywhere.

"And just when I thought my night was going to end pleasantly." I scoffed, fishing my keys out of my bag and turned to Eric. "You just had to show up now, didn't you?"

"I think I behaved long enough by leaving you alone while you were here." He said with a smirk, bringing up a hand and touching the side of my face where the bruises were most dark. "You really should just let me heal you."

"And you should really just shut up about it." I grumbled, pushing his hand away and reaching for my door handle. I opened the door and tossed my bag into the passenger seat and looked up at the blonde viking vampire standing way too close to me. "Why are you talking to me when I'm trying to leave? Why now?"

"Why not?" Eric shrugged, his handsome face not showing what was going on inside his head. He shrugged and said. "Besides, I wanted to make amends and I wanted to take you by surprise."

"And how do you plan on doing that..." The words had barely left my mouth before Eric grabbed me roughly and crashed his lips against mine. My mind didn't even have a moment to register what was going on before my hands instantly went to touch him. I didn't have any logical thought in my head except for how nice it was to be kissing him. I forgot how much I had liked it. Or how exquisite his body was. Every where I touched him it seemed to make a tiny volcano of pleasure erupt inside of me. But that didn't compare to how it felt when he touched me. His hands were everywhere and it seemed to be all at once. On my back, my face, my butt, my chest, it all was fiery. But just as I felt myself giving in to him, I stopped. I pulled my face away and maneuvered out of his arms which was no easy task His face registered shock at first but then anger set in. He had never liked being stopped before and I'm sure that no woman had ever refused him like I was doing. He made a move as if he was going to grab me again. I shook my head and held up my hand. "No Eric, it doesn't work like that."

"I have no idea what you mean." He said, his face blank as he stepped closer to me again.

"You can't just kiss me and expect everything to be alright. No matter how good a kiss it was." I shot back, noticing the smirk on his lips after I had made my statement. I rolled my eyes, it was so typical Eric. To think that he was going to get his way just by using his powers of seduction. Well think again. "It's not that easy."

"But it can be." He wiggled his brows at me. "You just have to give in."

"You may have been used to that in the past with every other woman you were involved with, but I am not one of them." I snapped, yanking open the car door again and slid behind the wheel without Eric attempting to stop me. I turned on the engine and rolled the window down to stick my head back out to speak to him one more time. "You want to get off my shit list, then try something else. Because this man handling thing is not going to convince me otherwise."

"You are very different, Allison Stackhouse." Eric murmured, looking me over like he wanted to know something. The same way Pam had looked at me. He stepped back and motioned with his hand. "Off you go."

"Yea thanks." I stepped on the gas and left the parking lot and Eric Northman in a cloud of dust.

**A/n: sorry about the long wait, i was hit with writter's block for this fic, but the inspiration is back and in a big way. I had a dream baout how this story will end and the journey to that point is going to be crazier then anything i have written so far. please review. And look out for 2 more chapters coming in the next week**


	11. Um hello, Awkward

**Chapter 11 Um hello, Awkward **

_That poor girl._

_What the hell happened to her?_

_She looks like she was hit by a bus or something. _

_Isn't she like screwing a vampire? Maybe that blood sucker did it. Wouldn't surprise me. They have no problem with violence towards women._

_Poor little Allison Stackhouse, the way she is all bruised makes me sick._

"Oh my god, people really need to relax. I'm hurt, that's it. I'm not dying or anything." I muttered, glancing around me as I slowly walked down the aisle of the small grocery store with a basket in my hand and my bag tossed over my shoulder. I tried to tune out the thoughts going through people's heads but it was nearly impossible. Everywhere I looked, someone was staring at me and forming an opinion that only I could hear. I knew that the first time I stepped out in public during the day after my accident, I would be be gawked at. It was to be expected. After all, almost every inch of my skin was covered in bruises and I was moving as slowly as someone 4 times my age. Not to mention that this was a small town and everyone talked about each other and it had been spreading across the county about my absence from the day to day life of Bon Temps. Sookie and Lafayette had promised to keep it to themselves and not mention what had happened to anyone and so far they had kept to it. No one else knew what I looked like these days. But that didn't stop people from wondering what was up. And I knew I couldn't hide from it any longer. I didn't need to be cooped up in the house all day until I went to work at night. I had to start getting my life back on track. So I sucked it up and got in my car to go run errands. I should have prepared myself better for the onslaught of mental comments that came my way. As soon as I walked through the doors of the market, I might as well have set off an alarm for how quickly people looked at me.

"Allison Stackhouse, what the hell happened to you?" A gruff voice gasped, causing me to look up towards the end of the empty aisle only to see my ex boss standing there staring at me in horror. I hadn't seen Sam since the day he fired me and I knew from talking to Sookie that he was still in a bad mood over that, which surprised me. I expected Sam to be standing by his decision and being smug about it, but he wasn't. If anything, he was sounding like he regretted it. And I felt bad when I looked at him. All that had happened had seriously damaged our friendship and I was remembering that as I stood there.

"Hey Sam." I replied, waving my hand but keeping my eyes to the ground even when he walked towards me. I saw his feet come into my line of vision and I debate whether I should just turn around and leave. But it was too late. Sam had already reached his hands up to my chin and was turning my face up towards the light. I tried to push him away by pushing at his arms. "Sam, stop."

"When did this happen?" He demanded, his eyes narrowing as they searched my bruised face, taking in the the black eyes and the bandage still covering the wound near my hair line. He pulled back, his arms dropping to his sides. "Was it Eric?"

"No it wasn't Eric." I said, rolling my eyes. Sam wasn't the first person to think that a vampire had done this to me. "I got beat up one night after I started my new job."

"What new job?" Sam questioned, a frown appearing on his handsome face.

"Do you really want to go there?" I asked, knowing it was going to get awkward. It already was, but bringing up the whole job subject was going to force me to mention the fact that he had fired me not too long ago.

"Yes, go there." He said, his hands going to his hips and his eyes getting more intense.

"Fine, have it your way." I shrugged, setting down my basket slowly and placing my hand on my ribs as I stood back up. "After you fired me I had to find another job fast so I could stay on top of my bills. So I went to Eric and he hired at Fangtasia."

"Fangtasia? Are you seriously delusional?" Sam wanted to know, his mouth dropping up wide as soon as I said it. "Of course you were going to get into trouble at that place."

"I didn't really have a choice in the matter. You fired me because Eric kept coming into the bar so it was only right that he fix it, so he hired me." I explained, running my hands through my hair. "And it wasn't like this happened from being around vampires. Neither Eric or any other vampire did this to me."

"Then who did?"

"I was in the office doing paper work when I overheard a human couple planning to drain one of the vampires. So I told a bartender and they got thrown out. But not before it was pointed out that I was the one who told on them." I told Sam, relieving the events in my head. It seemed so long ago. "And later that night, when I was leaving, they jumped me in the parking lot and beat me up."

"Humans did this to you." Sam said to clarify it. He shook his head in disbelief. "That just makes me sick. Why didn't you tell me?"

"We weren't exactly on the best of terms. So I figured why bother telling you anything." I shrugged again, reaching down to grab my basket but Sam swiped it up before I could and he handed it to me. "Just forget we ran into each other. Nothing's changed and there is no reason to prolong this whole awkward reunion."

"Look, I'm sorry about everything. I didn't want this to go on as long as it did." Sam replied, crossing his arms and leaning against the shelf. "We were friends for years. I don't want to forget that just because we had a fight."

"Maybe eventually we will get passed it."I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder. "I have to go."

"Can we talk later?" He asked, looking desperate as I prepared to leave.

"I don't know Sam. I have to work tonight and I always get back late." I said feeling tense as I stood there. "Give me some time to think about it."

"Yea. ok." Was all he said before he turned and took off around the corner and disappeared.

* * *

**At Merlotte's**

Sookie was standing by the bar sorting through a bunch of receipts that needed attending to from the first half of the day when she was hit with the sense that something was wrong. It wasn't a big feeling, but it was enough to make her stop what she was doing and stand there staring into space. Arlene and Lafayette both commented on it but she had no answers to give them. She had no inkling why she had this foreboding feeling and she wasn't about to try and explain it. So she went back to what she was doing and was losing herself in her task when a loud noise sounded from the entry way and she looked up to see her boss coming inside. He searched the room briefly before his eyes landed on her and he came her way.

"We need to talk. Now." Sam said in a dangerously soft voice as he walked into the bar and grabbed Sookie by the arm and started pulling her in the direction of his office. The other waitresses and customers turned to stare at the two of them, but Sam ignored them and dragged her to the back without another word.

"Sam, what the fuck?" Sookie snapped when he opened the door to his office and pushed her inside. She turned around to look at him when he kicked the door shut with her hands on her hips. "Care to explain what is going on?"

"Maybe you should be the one to do that." He hissed, pacing in front of her angrily. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Sookie questioned, confused by Sam's words. She tried to look into his mind but all she got was a blur of emotion, mostly anger and sadness.

"About Allison." Sam spat out, stopping in his tracks to look at her. "How could you not tell me she was hurt?"

"Because it was none of your business." Sookie shot back, glaring at her boss with more fury then she was used to. She wasn't normally angry person but when her family was hurting then she became a completely different person. "You fired her and tossed her out of your life. Therefore you gave up any right to know what was going on."

"I did not toss her out of my life!" Sam shouted, throwing his hands in the air. "I made a mistake and I felt bad about it. But I still deserved to know what happened. Especially when it involves one of my friends getting beaten to within an inch of her life."

"How did you even find out?" Sookie asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I ran into her at the grocery store this morning and she told me what happened." Sam told her, to which Sookie rolled her eyes.

"And you cared enough to stick around and listen? Wow that's surprising." She said sarcastically.

"How is that a surprise?" He demanded, shaking his head. "You know very well that I care about Allison. Of course I would want to stay and listen to what happened."

"Sam, you aren't fooling me. I know you don't really regret what you did and you only think you do because of the situation Allie is in right now. So spare me the bullshit." Sookie scoffed, holding up her hand when he looked like he was going to speak. "I still stand by what I said to you before. If you cherished your friendship with Allie as much as you claim, then you would have sucked it up and dealt with Eric being here. And if you had, then none of this would have happened. She wouldn't have gone to him looking for a job and she wouldn't have been there that night and she wouldn't have been attacked."

"So you're saying this is all my fault?" Sam asked incredulously.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Sookie said, shrugging her shoulders through her white t-shirt. "You put business in front of friendship. And I don't know if I can let that go."

"You are making this more difficult then it has to be. Allison said she could possibly forgive me in the future, so why can't you?"

"Maybe I'm just not as good a person as she is. " Sookie huffed and walked passed Sam and out the door. She had desire to stay here any longer and talk to Sam. She always got way too angry too quickly these days when it came to Sam and if she stayed there then she would be saying things she did not want to say. It was always best to walk away before things got too heated. She went back to the bar and stopped at the counter to grab her notepad and tray. She saw Sam come back out and slip behind the bar but she pretended she didn't see him. And he did the same. And that's how they acted around each other for the rest of the day and into the night.

* * *

**Later that night **

"Well, that was a long day and night I wasn't completely ready for." I muttered as I entered my bedroom at 3 in the morning and eased myself down onto a chair and dropped my bag on the floor. I brought my hands up to my face and rubbed at my tired eyes, which turned out to be a mistake because they instantly started to throb and I had to stop. I sighed heavily and looked around my dimly lit room and listened to the quiet of the house. Sookie had gone to Bill's for the night so it was just me here. And after the day I had, I liked the idea of being alone.

After I had run into Sam at the store, I had finished my shopping and went straight home. But even when I was back in the house, I couldn't get our reunion out of my mind. It seemed like years since Sam and I had talked, even though it was really only a week since then. Granted, it wasn't very pleasant and it still made me cringe awkwardly, but it was progress nonetheless. I didn't know what was going to happen with Sam and I, but I knew at some point down the line I wanted our friendship to be rekindled. I was still upset at him, but he and I had been close for too many years for it to fall apart over one fight. And actually it was our first fight ever and I really didn't care for it. I was just going to have to take time to get over this before I could think about giving him another chance. But I knew it would come to that. It would just take time. And until then, I would have to distract myself with work.

When I went to Fangtasia tonight, I expected that Eric would say something to me about our encounter in the parking lot and the way I had left abruptly. But surprisingly, there was nothing. I went through the bar this time to get to my office and I saw him sitting on his throne on the little stage and when he saw me, his eyes did zero in on me for a minute, but then he turned his attention to a big haired, ditzy looking blonde who was crawling on the floor at his feet. I just shook my head, expecting nothing less from him and went to my office and began another night of sorting through the mountains of paperwork. I only left the room to use the bathroom and get a drink from the bar. And by the time I was ready to leave, Eric still hadn't shown up in the doorway and I figured he wouldn't be interested in me tonight. I was able to walk out to my car and drive away without being delayed and I walked into the house with a smile on my face despite my exhaustion.

"Ok, so maybe it wasn't totally a bad night." I said, standing up slowly and walked across the room to where my mirror stood and began peeling off my clothes. It wasn't as painful to move as it had been a few days, but I still was no where close to feeling normal. Still, I was happy I wasn't doubling over in agony anymore. I went to my dresser and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank top to go to sleep in. I stood in front of my vanity mirror and brushed my hair so it was free of knots and when it finally ran silky I put it down and started pulling on my clothes. I had just climbed into the shorts when I heard a rush of wind outside my window and I nearly screamed when a familiar figure with slicked back blonde hair appeared in the air outside the house. I threw down the tank top on the back of my chair and walked over to the window and threw it open. "Eric, what the fuck?"

"Is that how you greet all your gentlemen callers?" He asked sarcastically, rolling his shoulders as he floated before me.

"Oh yea, because I have so many of them." I shook my head and sighed. "What do you want Eric?"

"Ah cut right to the chase, I like that." His lips curled up into a smirk and he hovered just a little bit closer to the window. "I want you to invite me in."

"Look, I know you are used to getting what you want and not many people refuse you, but I'm not giving in. You're still on my shit list." I shot back, crossing my arms and enjoying the frown that appeared on his face. "You want to get invited in? Be respectful and then maybe I will change my mind."

"I could make your night a lot more pleasurable if you would just let me in." Eric said, sounding more then confident that I would take him up on his offer and it just made me laugh. He didn't find this as humorous as I did. "You find this amusing?"

"Kind of. I mean, I can't believe women fall for that shit. It's so corny and god knows you have said that a million times before." I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Sorry but that doesn't exactly turn me on."

"Then what does turn you on?" Eric asked, placing his hands on the window sill and leaning towards my face so closely that I could feel his cool breath when he spoke. "Me?"

"You already know the answer to that question." I smirked, wiggling my eyebrows at him and stood back. I grabbed the window and waved him away. "Thanks, but no thanks on that offer. Now go."

I shut the window and locked it in his face before turning around and going back to my vanity to grab my tank top. When I was finished getting ready for bed, I turned the lights off and climbed under the blankets and curled up with my face on the pillow. I was able to see Eric still floating outside the window, his arms crossed and his ice blue eyes looking right through the glass at me. I didn't react or saying anything out loud, I just laid there and watched him as he watched me. Even in the dark, I could see his face and there was no real expression there. It was just blank. There may have been a hint of concentration there, like he was trying to study me, but other then that, it was blank. I don't know how long he stayed there watching me, but after a while I felt my eyes starting to grow heavy and I knew sleep wasn't far off. And neither was the dawn, so he was bound to be leaving soon anyway. But as far as I knew, he was still there when my eyes closed for the night.

**

* * *

**

**3 days later**

"This is getting so old." I grumbled as I sat at my desk in my office at Fangtasia, preparing to leave and wondering when I was going to feel like myself again. It had been on my mind for the past couple of days and I was still mulling it over now when I was at work. I hadn't had any more eventful run ins with anyone, not Eric or Sam and I hardly saw Sookie since she worked during the day and I worked at night. Things were going smoothly for me though, I suppose. I was able to concentrate more at work and I made more progress then ever with this crazy room of files. Eric hadn't interacted with me too much, although he did occasionally make a habit of showing up behind me when I wasn't expecting it and sneaking in a breath-taking kiss. I of course would push him away and yell at him,but I secretly loved it. So I didn't mind when he kept on doing it over and over again. But it was one thing to enjoy the physical aspect of whatever we were doing. I refused to let it go any further, which I knew was what he wanted. I couldn't do that without having some kind of trust in him. And I certainly did not trust Eric. But besides that, life was ok at the moment and I could deal with it. And now it was to head home, which I was happy about because I was leaving at a decent hour. I might be able to spend some time with Sookie before she left for work.

"I wonder if Sam mentioned that he ran into me." I wondered as I grabbed my bag and shut the light off in my office. I pulled the door shut and then I was faced with walking the dimly lit hallway with only the sounds of my footsteps echoing in my ear. I could faintly hear the music coming from the main area of the bar, but other then that, it felt like I was alone and it was really creepy. It was a scene out of a horror movie where the main character is walking down a darkened hallway and you just know something bad is awaiting in the shadows. And actually, considering I was attacked by humans just a week ago and before that by a vampire, I should have been more alert. But I wasn't, and that's why I nearly felt my heart explode when a cold hand reached out from the darkness and pushed me against the wall.

I didn't have a second to even open my mouth and scream before a hand covered my lips and kept me from speaking. I nearly panicked and was going to uselessly fight back when the cold hand fell away and was replaced by a familiar pair of lips. That's when I relaxed, it was only Eric, not some crazier vampire trying to jump me when I was alone and defenseless. I dropped my bag on the floor, my body taking center stage and I forgot that I was supposed to be mad at him. I brought my hands to his waist, my fingers brushing against his hips and setting off a flurry of butterflies in my stomach. His hands were cupping my face and keeping me in front of him so I couldn't escape, but that was ok because I didn't want to. I just wanted to stand here and kiss him for the next hour. And even more then that, I wanted to touch him. Even after all the times he and I had made out, I was still amazed by his body and I always wanted to explore it further. But my mind caught up with me and I stopped responding to him and pushed at his chest. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Kissing you, if you couldn't tell." He replied smartly, his hands wrapping around my neck and pulling me forward again but I shook my head. "What?"

"I don't know what you're used to, but you don't just sneak up on a girl in a dark hallway to kiss her." I protested, prying his hands off me. "That's just creepy."

"You didn't seem to mind too much." He said with a smirk. "In fact, I think you really enjoyed it."

"That's not the point." I snapped, trying to hold onto to my annoyance but it was becoming very hard the longer he looked at me. I always found it difficult to keep up my wall in front of Eric. Maybe it was because he looked at me in a way that made me feel attractive. I've had guys tell me I was beautiful, but it was completely different when Eric stared at me. It was in a more heightened desirable way, like he craved me more then any other woman. The way he looked at me made me feel differently about myself. Which was a good thing. I looked up at Eric, who was waiting for me to respond and I smiled. "This doesn't change anything."

"I didn't expect it to." He grinned, his hands drifting over my waist again in a teasing way.

"Good, just as long as we have that clear." I said, feeling my breath get shallow as he leaned in close and kissed me again.

I didn't know what I was thinking when I allowed him to kiss me again, all I knew was that as soon as his lips touched mine, all rational thoughts went right out the window and I knew I wasn't going to fight back against him again. I even forgot about my physical pain when I wrapped my arms around his neck and moved myself closer. He was a vampire and obviously I wasn't able to force him to move anywhere,. But he did shift around until our bodies fit together in just the right way where I could tell I was getting turned on. Being against him like that was unlike anything I had felt before. I never really thought of myself as a sexual person, but around Eric, I was having all kinds of naughty thoughts. And him being a vampire, he could pick up on my arousal and he responded accordingly. I felt his hands reach down passed my hips and thighs and wrap around my knees and before I knew what was going to happen, he yanked me up in the air against his chest and I had no choice but to wrap my legs around his waist. Now our faces were at the same level and it was a whole different feeling of kissing him when I could open my eyes and seeing him staring straight at me instead of down at me. He held on to my waist and moved until my back was pressed against the side of the hallway. His mouth traveled from my lips and across my jawline until they reached my throat and I felt his tongue licking along the main vein in my neck. I felt myself grow more excited when he did this and I gripped onto his shoulders tighter then I did before. My fingers ran through his slicked back blonde hair, feeling the silky strands slip over my skin in an addictive way. I wasn't even looking at him anymore, my eyes were closed and my head was thrown back against the wall behind me as his hands traveled from my waist and under the hem of my shirt. I felt his fingers rip apart the bandages that covered my ribcage and the gauze dropped to the floor by our feet. I felt a shudder go through me when his hands stroked my skin on their ascend upwards. He didn't stop touching me when he reached my bra and simply slipped his hands underneath and I felt a coolness spread over my breasts. It was the most stomach turning feeling I had felt in my life. No man had ever touched me like Eric did and I wondered why I had never let myself go this far. This feeling was glorious! His thumbs rubbed circles around my nipples and my arousal grew even more heightened and I pulled his face back to him so I could taste his lips again. I could hardly breath at this point,but I didn't really care. All I could notice was how intoxicating his lips were, how amazing his touch was and how turned on I was...

"Well, I certainly like what I see." An amused female voice interrupted our moment and Eric and I broke apart from each other to see that we were no longer alone. Pam had appeared at the end of the hallway and was now watching us with a smirk on her face. I felt heat flood my face, feeling like a teenager being caught by her parents and pushed at Eric's shoulders. His hands slipped back out from under my shirt and released me from his hold so I could drop back down to the floor again. I ran my hands through my hair, feeling embarrassed as Pam walked up to us. "Oh please, don't stop on my account. I wouldn't mind watching some more. It was just getting good."

"I don't like an audience." I stammered, reaching down to grab my bag. I wasn't able to look Eric in the face as I stood up again. "I have to go."

"You sure about that? I think Eric would prefer that you stay and finish the job." Pam pointed out with smirk that only made me blush even harder.

"Enough Pam." Eric commanded, not glancing at me and instead looked at progeny. "What do you want?"

"We need to talk. In private." She replied, looking over me once and licked her lips while I edged towards the exit.

"I'll just be going now." I managed to say before darting for the door and leaving the hallway with the two vampires staring after me.

* * *

**Back at the Stackhouse home**

"You got caught by Pam?" Sookie asked incredulously as her cousin finished telling her about the encounter with Eric in the hallway and she fought the urge to gag when she saw how Allison was beaming like 16 year old high school girl. She put up every mental block and wall she could she wouldn't accidentally hear Allison's thoughts and hear every detail about it. "I'll bet she loved that."

"Oh she did." Allison laughed, leaning against the porch railing and crossing her arms, looking more relaxed then she had in days. "She wanted me to stay and do more but I refused."

"That's gross. I can't believe she wanted to watch you and Eric have sex." Sookie said in disgust, shaking her head as she watched her cousin. "Did you want to? You know, have sex?"

"I've thought about it, but after what happened in the parking lot that first night, I wasn't going to let it going any further. How could I even think about entertaining the idea of sex with Eric without some kind of trust?" Allison questioned, twirling her dark hair around her fingers. "But I'm not going to lie, when he kissed me tonight, I was seriously thinking about it."

"Just be careful." Sookie warned, walking over and sitting on the porch steps and leaning back on her hands. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"He's a vampire, it's not like I can get pregnant or anything." The brunette laughed lightly looking up at the night sky that was littered with stars.

"That's not what I mean. And you know that." Sookie countered, tilting her head to look at Allison. "We both know that once you sleep with Eric, it's going to be crossing a line you can't come back from. And when he gets what he wants from you, there is a very real chance that he is going to break your heart. Because Eric gets bored easily and I don't want you to invest your time and your heart in something that isn't going to work out."

"I've given that a lot of thought over the past couple of weeks. And you have no idea how much I wish it were different, but I know better. Eric isn't like Bill and he never will be, no matter how much I wish he were." Her cousin sighed, setting her head against the side of the post. "Did you ever think like that when Eric wanted you?"

"Not really. I never gave it serious thought because I knew I only had these feelings for him because of the blood." Sookie explained, remembering her past encounters with the viking and she shuddered at how messed up her life could have been because of him. "I mean, I will admit that I was at one point attracted to him, but there wasn't a future there, at least not one that I wanted. And my feelings for Bill were more intense then anything I ever felt for Eric. I love Bill and he is who I want with me."

"Is it bad that I have feelings for Eric?" Allison asked, frowning as she spoke as if she were ashamed.

"You can't help who you like so I can't say if it is bad or not." Sookie shrugged, feeling torn about saying what she really felt and staying silent. "That's something you have to decide for yourself."

"I wish it were that easy." Her cousin muttered, turning her attention to the yard and Sookie saw her eyes grow wide. "Oh shit."

"What is it?" Sookie demanded, taking note of the tense look on her face.

"Sam's here." Allison said, nodding across the grass and Sookie snapped her head to the side and saw that Sam was coming towards them with an apprehensive look on his face.

"Oh hell no." Sookie shook her head, jumping up from the steps and stormed towards her boss, ignoring her cousin's pleas to leave it alone. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to come by and talk to Allison, that's all." Sam replied, his hands stuck in his back pockets. He looked passed her to the porch and nodded. "Hey Allie."

"Hey Sam." Allison replied, her voice sounding tense and unsure.

"Don't think you can just come over here and ask to speak to her. It doesn't work like that." Sookie snapped, her fury returning as she stood in his path and refused to move. "You made a mess of things already. Don't make it worse."

"How is talking going to make it worse?" Sam asked, rolling his eyes.

"I don't know, it just will." Sookie glared at him, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Just get out of here."

"Come on, I just want to talk." Sam pleaded, a desperate look coming over his face as he looked at her. "Give me a chance to make things right."

"I don't want to hear it. Maybe Allison does but not me. And until I'm comfortable with it then I don't want you coming over here." Sookie told him, nodding to the dirt road. "Please leave. Right now."

"Sookie don't be like this." Sam groaned, throwing his hands in the air.

"I'll be any way I want. And you Sam Merlotte can't do anything about it." Sookie huffed, turning her back on him and walking over to the porch and hurrying up the stairs. She reached for Allison's arm and tugged her cousin along after her and they both entered the house and left Sam standing in the yard with a forlorn look on his face.

* * *

**20 minutes later**

"He is so infuriating..."

"Yea but Sookie..."

"I mean, where does he come off, just coming over here and asking to talk to you? Does he really think that things are going to go back to normal after all this?"

"He was just trying to..."

"He must be out of his mind if he believes it will all be ok..."

"Sookie will you calm down for a damn second and take a breather." I shouted at my cousin, grabbing her attention and she stopped her pacing and stood in the middle of the living room with her hands clenched tightly at her sides. I reached out and wrapped my hand around her wrist and tugged her down on the couch next to me. "You need to relax. You're working yourself up so much that Bill's going to feel it and he will show up here any minute."

"I know I know." Sookie groaned, rubbing her face with her hands. "But I'm just so mad at him for what he did."

"I know you are, but you need to let that go, especially right now. You have to go to work in like half an hour and it won't do you any good if you walk in there looking like you are ready to pounce." I told her, patting her on the arm and shifted my position against the pillows to get more comfortable. "I don't want you to be mad at Sam. You guys were such good friends. I don't want you to lose that just because he and I are having problems."

"This isn't just your problem, it's mine too." Sookie protested, turning her head towards me. "You are like my best friend and when something hurts you, it's going to hurt me too. And I can't just get over it like that."

"Look, I love that you want to stand by and help me deal with this, but I don't want it to drag you down." I said, biting my bottom lip as I looked at her. "You don't need to take on my trouble with Sam, it's not worth it and I can tell you right now that it is not going to last forever."

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking curious.

"Did Sam ever mention that he and I ran into each other at the store?" I asked her, watching her nod.

"Yea, it was the day it happened and he came into the bar and pulled me into his office to talk and mentioned it." Sookie explained with a shrug. "Why?"

"Well, he and I talked for a little bit and he said he was sorry about the way things had gone down between us..." I tried to say and Sookie cut back in.

"And you believed him." She looked doubtful.

"Yea, I did." I told her with a sigh. "I'm not saying it makes up for him firing me, but it did kind of clear my head a little bit. And I realized that I don't want to be mad at him forever. It's going to take time, but I know I will get over this and you will too."

"Not a chance." Sookie huffed, sitting back with her arms crossed.

"Sam has been our friend for years and he has been there for us through everything. We can't let it fall apart over something as stupid as this. The three of us have been through much worse situations and if we can survive that, then we can survive this." I said to my cousin, running my hands through my long hair. There was a moment when the two of us were silent for a while and we just stared anywhere but at each other. And then our eyes met and I could see conflicting emotions in her eyes. "Sook, I don't want to be mad at him anymore. I want to take time and deal with it and then just forgive him and move on."

"I wish I had your strength of mind." Sookie stated, tapping her fingers on her forehead. "I can't just do it. This anger needs to run it's course. You do what you feel is right and don't expect me to do the same. Please accept that."

"I love you and if you can't forgive Sam, then that is ok. I won't care." I assured my cousin with a smile. "But I am just giving you a heads up that if he comes by again, then I am going to talk to him."

"That's your prerogative ..."

* * *

**At Fangtasia**

_"Have I told you how hot you are?" Allison asked with a wicked smile as she lay beside him in bed and propped her face up in her hand. Her other hand traced a pattern on his naked chest and her touch was enough to make him turn his head and focus his attention on her face. Her hair was hanging down her bare back and the sheets were only pulled up to her waist as she laid there looking at him. She reached up to brush a strand of his hair off his forehead and combed her fingers over his scalp. "Because you are really hot."_

_"Of course I am. There was never any question about that." He replied, watching in satisfaction as her face turned red. He loved making her react like that. It was just further proof of the power he had over women. "But you can say that as much as you want and I won't complain."_

_"Yea because what man doesn't want to hear how hot he is a million times a day." She giggled, looking down at the bed. "But you are right. It is undeniable how attractive you are."_

_"That is what drew me to you in the first place right?" He asked, running his fingers across the skin of her arm and moving the hair off her shoulder so her neck was in view._

_"Actually it was you not taking no for an answer." She shot back with raised eyebrows. "You wanted me and you were going to do whatever it took to get me."_

_"Oh yea." He agreed, smiling evilly at her. The veins in her neck stood out as if trying to tempt him to bit them._

_"But your looks did help." She nodded, moving closer to him and placing her hand on the side of his face. She looked down at him, her eyes searching his so intensely that he was silent for a second. There was a serious expression on her face, unlike one that he had seen before. And he didn't like that. They had just ended a 3 hour sex fest and now she was looking at him like the conversation was about to turn heavy. Her thumb rubbed a circle on his cold cheek and she sighed. "Eric, can I ask you a serious question and not have you respond sarcastically?"_

_"It depends on the question." He said simply, reaching his hand down between them and placing it on her chest. He could feel her heart racing beneath his fingers and he looked up at her again. "You're nervous."_

_"I just wanted to know,why you were suddenly interested in me." Allison mumbled, her words coming so softly that no human could hear them. But with him being a vampire, he picked up every single word. "I mean, you never gave me a second look before, so I'm just wondering what changed."_

_"I couldn't tell you if I wanted. I just saw you at Merlottes and something clicked." He answered honestly, not liking the seriousness of the moment but knew it was necessary._

_"Does it have anything to do with what I am?" She prodded, sitting up and pulling the sheets around her tiny body. "Do you only want me because of what I am?"_

_"I don't know what you are." He denied, also sitting up. But it was a lie. He did know what she was, she was related to Sookie, they were from the same family tree with the same mind reading ability. Of course he knew what she was. But there was something extremely different about her. He had found that out when he tasted her blood all those nights ago. She may have been like Sookie, but Allison had something rare about her that set her apart from her cousin. And he was struggling to figure out where that was coming from._

_"Would you tell me if you knew?" She asked, brushing her hair back and pulling the sheets tighter around her._

_"Maybe..Maybe not..."_

Eric snapped out of his thoughts with a startle so fast that he nearly fell out of his desk chair. He placed his hands on the corner of the table and tried to bring his mind to a grounding halt. His fantasy about Allison Stackhouse had left him rattled. He had started out thinking it was going to be an amusing thought to pass time, but it had taken a turn to something he had been obsessing about for weeks, the real mystery about Allison's identity. Something told him, that what he was seeing wasn't the whole picture. And it was infuriating him to no end. It was dancing right there in front of his face, but yet he couldn't put a name to it.

"What the fuck is she?"

* * *

**A few hours later**

"This has been the craziest night I have ever had." I sighed as I sat by myself on the porch steps and looked up at the stars in the sigh. It was a peaceful night, no wind was blowing, no dogs barking in the neighbors yard. It was like time had slowed down and the whole world was quiet. And I really liked it.

"You know talking to yourself is the first sign of going insane." A teasing voice pointed out and I looked over to the left side of the yard and saw Sam coming towards me again for the second time that night.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be managing the bar tonight." I said with a frown as he reached the porch and climbed up the stairs and took a seat next to me on the steps.

"I decided to sneak out and come over here and try to talk to you like I was doing before your cousin kicked me off the property." He explained with a shrugging, leaning forward with his arms on his knees. "Besides, it wasn't too pleasant when she came into the bar for her shift tonight. She kept giving me the evil eye."

"I told her to be nice to you." I shook my head at Sookie's behavior. She had always been the kind of girl to let her emotions get the best of her. "She really doesn't mean to be harsh. She's just looking out for me."

"I get that. And I can't deny that she probably has every right to treat me the way she does." Sam replied, clasping his hands together. "Sometimes I think it is going to be easier to make things right with you rather then her."

"It's funny that you say that because that was what me and Sookie were talking about after you left earlier." I told Sam, brushing my hair out of my eyes. "We were talking about the whole fight thing and I said I don't expect her to forgive you that easily, but I needed her to accept that I might be ready to forgive you."

"Really?" Sam asked, turning towards me with surprise written in his features. For the first time since he fired me, I saw true shame in his eyes and it made my heart squeeze painfully.

"Sam, as much as I hate that you fired me it doesn't cancel out all the years we have been friends. And all this time, we never fought and we were always there for each other. So why should we give all that up over something as silly as this?" I reached out and took his hands in mine. " I don't want to lose something as special as our relationship just because we disagree on something. It took me a little while, but I want this stupid fight to be over with."

"You have no idea how great that is to hear." Sam said excitedly, pulling me into his arms and hugged me tightly. I winced slightly when he squeezed me and he must have realized that because he pulled away quickly. "Oh shit, I'm sorry."

"It's ok, I'm fine." I assured him, smiling even though my body was starting to throb. "I'm just still a little sore right now."

"I'm sorry you have to go through this." He told me with a sympathetic look on his face. "I wish I could make you feel better."

"Don't worry. I'll heal soon enough." I said, touching my hand to my rib cage.

"Wait a second. If you're hanging around Eric, then why doesn't he just give you his blood?" Sam asked suddenly. "It would heal you in like 2 seconds."

"I know that but I don't trust Eric so I won't take his blood." I said, remembering that I never told Sam the entire truth. "You see, when I got jumped that night, Eric claims he didn't feel anything from me, so he never showed up to save me. And I doubt that is true and until I can be sure, I won't accept his help."

"And you're ok being in this much pain?" Sam asked, looking over my bruised body with a wary eye.

"That's why God invented pain killers." I joked with a shrug and then motioned behind me. "Speaking of which, I think I am going to pop some and go to bed."

"And I should probably get back to the bar." Sam nodded, standing up and offered his hand to me which I accepted and he helped me to my feet. "Good night Allie."

"Night Sam." I said back and without thinking, I moved forward and hugged him. He hugged me in response, only more gentle this time and I smiled. This felt good and right. I had my friend back. This whole fight was over and things could finally move on and be normal again. It's what I was waiting for to happen and now it did. I pulled back and smiled at Sam, who was grinning happily in return. It had seemed like forever since I had seen him happy and I just wanted to remember that expression when I left him to go inside. Sam leaned in and I did too, thinking that we were going to embrace again. But Sam had something else in mind. As soon as our faces had gotten close enough, he turned and before I could pull away, he moved me closer and kissed me. I was so taken back by this that I couldn't react right away. My first thought was that he had incredibly soft lips and his skin felt wonderfully warm against mine and for the briefest of seconds I stopped thinking and actually brought my hands up to touch his shoulders. But then I came to and forced myself to push him away. "Sam, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I...I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that." Sam back away from me, his hands at his side and his eyes filled with guilt. "I have to go."

"Yea, me too." I managed to stutter, backing up the rest of the stairs and fleeing for the door and disappearing inside.


	12. What's going on here?

**Chapter 12 What's going on here**

_Oh boy. This is not good._

_This is bad. And I mean, really really bad._

_How could Sam go and do something as stupid as kiss me?_

_What does it mean? _

_This is going to complicate things, big time..._

_And god forbid if Eric ever finds out..._

"Damn it." I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air as I laid there in bed and stared at the ceiling and relived the awkward encounter from the night before. Even though it had plagued my thoughts before bed, I figured once I fell asleep then I would find solace from the constant confusion. But that simply wasn't the case. My dreams that night were particularly vivid and I remembered every detail when I had opened my eyes 20 minutes ago. And thus started a day that I knew would be consumed with thoughts of the kiss I had shared with Sam. I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand and that turned out to be the first mistake of the day. "Fuck."

"Allie?" Sookie peeked around the side of my door and peered into the room at me. "Are you ok?"

"No, not really." I said honestly, wondering whether I should tell her about what happened last night. I knew she and Sam weren't going to be back to normal anytime soon and I didn't want this to rock the boat even further. But I couldn't just keep it inside, I had to talk about it to somebody. I looked at my cousin and chewed nervously on the inside of my cheek. "Do you have a minute?"

"I have all the time in the world for you." She replied with a carefree grin and pushed open the door and flounced across the room to the bed and sat down. "What's going on? You look really serious."

"That's because I am serious." I sighed, pulling my knees as close to my chest as I could manage without being in pain and wrapped my arms around my legs. "If I tell you something, can you promise to keep it between us?"

"Of course I will." Sookie assured me with a nod. I knew I could trust her word because I had history to back it up. She had always kept every secret I had ever told her since we were kids and it hadn't changed now that we were adults. But I still had to make very specific guidelines.

"You won't talk about this with Bill or Jason or Sam?" I asked, watching as her forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"First off, Jason is away doing god only knows what. And there is no way in hell I would tell Sam anything." Sookie laughed, rolling her eyes as she said this. But then her expression was serious and she looked at me curiously. "Why are you so adamant about it staying between us?"

"Because I don't want it to get back to Sam." I told her, feeling my cheek flush when I said his name. Remembering what happened made me extremely uncomfortable and I had to look at the floor. "Just promise me you won't talk about it to anyone."

"I promise. But what does it have to do with Sam?" Sookie wanted to know, her pretty face frowning at the mention of our friend.

"It involves him, that's why." I sat back against the headboard and pushed the blankets off my legs. I ran my fingers through my knotty hair and looked at my cousin apprehensively."Last night, after you left for work, I was sitting on the porch by myself and Sam came by to talk."

"I figured that's what he was up to when he disappeared from the bar." Sookie nodded and shrugged. "So I guess things are back to normal with you guys then?"

"Not exactly." I shook my head. That was so far from the truth. "I mean, we talked and I forgave him for the whole firing thing. So in that sense, we were ok. But then something happened I was not expecting at all."

"Is it something bad?" Sookie sat up curiously, her eyes searching mine for a clue so she could guess it.

"It could be." I answered with a grimace, squeezing my eyes shut tightly as the image returned to my mind. It had so warped my mind that I couldn't even look at my cousin. I kept my eyes down at the bed as I spoke. "Sam...he kissed me last night."

"No." Sookie replied with a simple shake of her head. She had this smile on her face like she was thinking this was all a joke and she was waiting for me to tell her what was really going on. So she just sat there staring at me. And I stared right on back, trying to communicate my sincerity through my eyes. It was only after 2 minutes of complete and utter silence that I saw understanding register in her features and her eyes widened considerably. "No. You have to be kidding me. He kissed you?"

"Yea, he did. And just to be clear, it wasn't on the hand or the cheek. It was full on the lips." I clarified, remembering every detail of how it had happened. It was replaying in super slow motion in my mind and it felt so intimate that my stomach clenched painfully. I dropped my face into my hands and groaned "What do I do?"

"What do you want to do?" She asked, her face contorted tightly as if she were trying to keep herself together. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to overcome this shock."

"You're not the only one." I sighed, sitting back again. "I didn't see this coming. And I'm more then a little confused. I need your guidance."

"Well I know first hand how you're feeling. Remember when Sam kissed me for the first time when I was just starting to date Bill?" Sookie reminded me, her face thoughtful as she spoke. "I mean, Sam is attractive and it's not like I didn't think about it. But I knew I felt a pull towards Bill and getting involved with Sam was just going to end up hurting him in the end. Especially when I didn't have real feelings for him."

"So what am I supposed to do? How do I react if I see him again?" I asked, desperate for some answers. "Sam is in love with you. But he kissed me. This isn't exactly easy to figure out."

"Well, look at it this way. It could just be a one time thing and you don't have to read too much into it. He may have just been caught up in the moment of you guys getting over your fight and he just took it too far." Sookie suggested with a shrug, tapping her fingers on her chin. "But then again, if he really meant to kiss you, then you have to decide how that makes you feel."

"It makes me feel sick." I spat out, hating how that sounded. "Not in a bad way. But I never thought of kissing Sam ever. I just never looked at him as anything more then a friend. And now he crossed a line and I don't know how I feel. And then there is Eric..."

"You're worried about Eric finding out?"

"That too, but mostly because I'm still trying to understand how I feel about Eric, and now Sam has gone and put himself into the equation and it makes things even more complicated then before." I closed my eyes and breathed heavily out through my lips. "This couldn't have happened at a worse time."

"That's how life works." Sookie pointed out, patting my leg with her hand. "I know it's hard and I don't envy your situation. But just relax and let your heart tell you what to do."

"And until then, I do what? Avoid all contact with Sam?" I asked, gripping my hair. "It's a small town. We will eventually run into each other again. Or he will just show up."

"You have to decide what you want to do. If avoiding him helps you think more clearly, then go for it." Sookie nodded and stood up. "I wish I could stay and talk more, but I have to go to work for your new love interest."

"That's not funny." I told her, throwing a pillow at her as she headed to the door. She grabbed it in her hands and tossed it back on the bed at my feet. "But thanks for talking to me. I needed it."

"Any time. You know I'm always here for you."

"I know."

* * *

**At Fangtasia**

_"Eric, I told you before to cut it out."_

_"You don't really mean that."_

_"Uh yea I do actually."_

_"You didn't seem to mind it the other night when I sneaked up behind you in the hallway."_

_"And I also seem to recall telling you that nothing has changed. I'm not letting that go."_

_"You humans hold grudges over everything."_

_"It's not just a grudge. You hurt my feelings and I'm not going to get over that as fast as you want just because we've had a few good make out sessions."_

_"You could if you wanted."_

_"It's not going to happen..."_

"What the hell am I doing?" Eric asked himself as he sat in the chair in his office and leaned over his desk with his arms on top and a sullen look on his face.

It was all because of her that he was hiding out in his office for the better part of the night. Normally he would be out on the floor soaking up all the attention and admiration coming his way from the humans. But tonight he just wasn't in the mood for any of that. He had failed at something for the first time in his entire life, both as a human and as a vampire, and he had no patience for being around anyone. He just wanted to sulk away the rest of the night and be alone with his thoughts. It wouldn't make him feel better about his failure, but at least he could attempt to figure out where he went wrong. Under normal circumstances with a normal human, he wouldn't have to think this much. They usually just crumbled under his eyes and that would be that. But not with Allison. She was the one who seemed to have a built in resistance to his charms and it posed a challenge to him to see how far he would have to go to get her to submit to him. But not only was she obviously not human, but she was also not like any other woman he had involved himself with.

"That girl is going to be the death of me." He groaned, dabbing at his nose with a blood soaked towel and tossed it on the desk top. He had been kept awake for the past couple of nights, consumed with thoughts of that girl and now he had the bleeds. It was just proof that she was attaching herself to every part of him without him realizing it.

He should have expected that things weren't going to be easy with Allison. The Stackhouse women never made anything easy. But she was so different from Sookie. She was more complicated then he had originally thought and yet he approached the situation the same way he would with any female he desired. He still couldn't understand the lack of a blood bond with her and so he had set out to make things right so he could have all of her. But that didn't exactly happen. She rebuffed all his efforts to ease the tension between them He showered her with material things and she refused to accept them. Cars and money and houses seemed to have no affect on how she looked at him. She wanted something that he simply couldn't give her. And that was an understanding of why he wasn't there that night. He, himself was more then curious about that as well, but there was just no answer to be had. And that was why he went to the next best thing, which was to offer her anything and everything money could buy. But she didn't want it, any of it. Any other woman would have jumped at the chance to be bought a house or a car, but not Allison Stackhouse. In fact, she only seemed to get angrier at him when he tried to give her these things. More then once she had called him a shallow, materialistic bastard who used his money and power to get his way and each time he had to hold back from rushing across the room and draining her. Ok, maybe she wasn't like all woman who wanted him only for his wealth, but it was what he was used to. It was the only other way he knew to make things right and get his way. It wasn't working and he was getting tired of having to think all the time. He never thought this much in his life. At least not when it came to women.

"You're hiding again?" Pam's voice floated across the room from where she stood in the doorway in her usual black get up when she was manning the bar. "From the Stackhouse girl? Eric, that is pathetic."

"I don't need you to come in here and point out the obvious." He snapped, glaring at his child, which had no affect on her and she waltzed into the room with a shake of her head.

"You need this shoved in your face. Ok?" Pam sat across from him and crossed her legs. "Look at it from my point of view. You're sitting in here by yourself and obsessing over this girl..."

"I'm not obsessing." Eric denied, sitting back in his chair and kicking the leg of the desk.

"Yes you are obsessing." Pam countered, shaking her head. "You've been keeping to yourself, you haven't rested in days and now you have the bleeds. Face it Eric, this girl has got you more tangled up then you ever have been before."

"I have no idea what you mean."

"I think you do." His child said, crossing her arms and standing up again. She walked up to the desk and leaned across it. "You're interested in her. And not just in a sexual way. You like her. I know it."

"You don't know anything." He shouted in her face, rising out of his chair in anger. He stormed towards the door and threw it open, intending to show his face in the bar and finding some human he could have his way with. He needed to get his mind off everything and that's what he intended to do. He left Pam alone in his office and didn't look back. Pam however, stood there and watched him leave, with a knowing smile on her face.

"Oh he is interested. Big time."

**

* * *

**

**At the Compton house**

"You're distracted. I can tell." Bill said, running his fingers along her bare back and causing her to shiver. "Where is your mind at?"

"I'm worried about Allison." Sookie told him, turning her head so she could look at his handsome face. She hugged the pillow to her face. "I'm scared for her."

"Is it about what happened between her and Sam?" Bill asked, moving his hand to her head so he could comb his fingers through her hair the way she liked it. "I told you before it was going to work itself out. These things always do."

"No, it's not about that." Sookie shook her head, propping herself up on her elbows and setting her chin in her hands. "It's about Eric."

"You're thinking about Eric? Should I be worried or jealous?" He asked jokingly, his nimble fingers moving through the blonde strands.

"Neither, because it has nothing to do with me. At least not directly." She sighed, biting on her bottom lip nervously. "I'm just worried that Eric is only pretending to like Allie because he wants to get to me."

"Don't be scared." Bill told her, laying himself down on the bed next to her and putting his arm around her. "I wouldn't let him harm you."

"I'm not scared of him hurting me. I know that you would get yourself killed before it ever came to that." She said with a smile and leaned over to kiss her fiancee's lips. "It's more that I'm worried he is just interested in her because he thinks it will help him get me all to himself. And if that is the truth, then Allie is going to get her heart broken and I don't want that to happen."

" I see." Bill replied, stroking her cheek with his hand. "If Eric still wanted you, then he wouldn't have to go through anyone to do it. He would just come for you directly."

"It didn't work last time so maybe he is just trying to be sneaky about it this time." Sookie pointed out, scratching her head briefly. "You and I both know he is capable of doing something like that to get what he wants."

"That is true." Bill agreed, a thoughtful look on his cold face. "But we have no way of knowing for sure. Because Eric will never admit to any wrong doing."

"I know and that's what is going to drive me nuts." She groaned, dropping her face in her hands again. "If I could keep him away from her then I would."

"And I would help you, but there is really nothing we can do about." He said, touching her shoulder lightly. "Eric wants her, for some reason or other. And for everyone's sake, I just hope it isn't for anything bad."

"If he isn't interested in me, then why does he want her?" Sookie asked, more to herself then to Bill. "Why is he up to?"

"I wish I could give you answer but I can't."

"Yea, me too."

* * *

**48 hours later**

"Oh man I can't take it anymore." I groaned, rubbing my temples with my fingertips and tried to relax but the pain was just too much tonight. I should have called out of work but my pride kept me from picking up the phone and I had just come to Fangtasia anyway. I had woken up that morning with a blinding head ache that just wouldn't ease up at all, no matter what I did. I had slipped in the bathroom and fell into the corner of the counter and my ribs had been screaming at me ever since. I had to have Sookie drive me to the hospital since I was in so much pain. When I got there, the doctor told me I had fractured my already fractured ribs even further, and I would have to limit my activities even more. This of course did not sit well with me and when Sookie drove us back home, I hadn't said a word to her. After she made sure I was in bed and surrounded by anything I might need, she had to leave for work and I was left alone in the house with nothing to do but sulk the rest of the day. I eventually got so fed up with myself that I was forced to pull myself out of bed and get dressed to go to work. I couldn't spend another minute in bed, I would go crazy. So I threw on some clothes, grabbed my bag and my keys and got behind the wheel of my car. I was in so much pain by the time I arrived that I just sneaked in the back entrance and into my office without being noticed. I had a feeling that Eric knew I was there anyway, because Pam had come in to check a file and saw me hunched over at the desk, and surely she would have told him I was here by now. But he hadn't come in yet and I was glad for it. I just couldn't deal with him right now. Not when I felt like I was going to fall apart from the pain.

"When is this agony going to end?" I cried out loud, a few tears slipping down my cheeks as I wrapped my arms around myself and set my head on the desktop. I was glad I was alone, at least then I could complain to myself in private without risk of embarrassment. But of course, luck wasn't on my side at all today and as soon as I had started crying, I heard the rush of wind and I looked up to see Eric standing in the doorway in all his glory. I groaned again and turned away. "Not now Eric. I can't deal with you at the moment. I'm kind of in pain here."

"I know that. I could hear you're crying all the way across the bar." He stated, coming into the room and locking the door behind him.

"Then why are you here? You always said you didn't want me to cry in your presence, so leave me in peace." I snapped, burying my face in my hands. I tried to calm my sobs because the harder I cried, the more it hurt. "I already have enough to deal with and I don't have the energy to fight you off tonight."

"I'm not here to bring you more trouble." He said, his voice not holding any emotion at all. I could hear his footsteps getting closer and then his hand was on my shoulder and I was forced to look up at him. His pale face was just as empty as his voice. "I'm here to heal you."

"Jesus Christ Eric." I snapped, pushing his hand away and forcing myself to my feet. " I already told you I wasn't going to take any more of your blood. So stop bugging me about it."

"I'm not bugging. I'm offering an opportunity." He said, his blue eyes flashing slightly with anger as he stood before me. "You can drink from me and not be in any more pain, or you can continue to be stubborn and suffer for 3 more weeks. Your choice."

"Why won't you just give up on this? Why do you care if I am in pain?" I asked furiously, trying my hardest to keep up my strong front, but I was crumbling at the edges. I grabbed the corner of the desk to keep myself upright so I wouldn't seem weak. "Why is it so important for you to heal me?"

"It just is." He said, stepping forward until he was practically on top of me. His hand went under my chin and roughly pulled my face upwards until I had no choice but to look at him again. I wasn't expecting to see much in his features. After all, Eric never showed any kind of emotion when he was around me. And I was sure that was no different when he was around other people or even vampires. So when my eyes met his, I was taken aback by the look that was staring back at me. For once it wasn't mocking or teasing or even a manipulative look. It was one of guilt and shame. I couldn't read it anywhere else on his face, but it shined through in his eyes and all thoughts of resisting fell away. It was the most human he had ever looked to me and it hit me that this may be a rare occurrence. I was sure Eric never let himself feel guilty or ashamed, but here he was looking just that. And for a second, I just stared back, unable to look away. His hand was still on my face but I had no intention of moving or even trying to. His stare was heavy and intense like he was pleading silently with me to go along with it. Like he needed me to agree with this so it would stop tormenting him. And the longer I stood there looking up at him, the more I was becoming sure that he meant what he said when he told me he didn't know why he couldn't feel my pain. He wasn't lying to me that night, he really didn't know. But for the last week, he had been trying to right a wrong for something that he had technically never done. He was opening himself up. And no matter how small it was, it still meant something to me. His hand moved up to my cheek and his thumb stroked across my skin before he spoke again and this time saying something I never thought he would say. "Please."

"Ok." I whispered, nodding my head only slightly to avoid another onslaught of pain. I looked down, biting my lip nervously. "You can heal me."

"It's about time." Eric huffed, dropping down into the desk chair and bringing his arm up to his mouth. I squeezed my eyes shut before I could see anything but I heard the sickening crunch and knew he had bit into his flesh. I didn't have a second to react before I felt his arm slip around my waist and he tugged me down into his lap. The pain was blinding when he moved me that quickly, but he brought his arm to my lips just as fast and I felt his hand on the back of my head, urging me to do it. "Drink."

And so I did. I tried to block out the pain and instead focused on gripping onto his arm as tightly as I could and drinking from the wound in his wrist. The blood came out easily, reminding me of the first time I had done this all those weeks ago and it slid down my throat without me trying to stop it. I felt Eric's arm tighten around me as I drank from him and I could have sworn I heard a moan escape from his lips. But I didn't stop to interpret it. The more blood I drank, the quicker the pain started to leave my body and that's all I could focus on. The pounding in my head started to subside second by second until it had gone away completely and I was left with a relief feeling in it's place. And then the rest of my body began to heal after that. I could literally feel my ribs start to piece themselves back together, fusing into place until they were one again, and the constant pain that had been present for so long was starting to slip away. My skin that had throbbed and showed the most damage was repairing itself and I opened my eyes to watch the bruises lighten in color until they faded and my skin looked like it had never been damaged in the first place. I felt a smile spread across my face at the new feeling I felt, finally remembering what it was like to not be in pain all the time. I was healed, fully and completely. And it was all thanks to him.

"Ok, that's enough. You're going to over cook yourself." Eric said, amusement in his voice as he gripped the back of my neck and pulled his arm away. I felt my arms drop to my side and I watched the open would on his wrist heal itself within 3 seconds with nothing left except the stain of the blood that looked vivid against his pale skin. After that I just sat there on his lap, not saying anything. I didn't know if there was anything to say, so I didn't speak. And neither did he. For once, he wasn't making some stupid comment that would force me to yell at him and kick him out. He just remained silent and kept me there on his lap, his arm locked around my waist and his head turned away from mine. Maybe he was being respectful for once. It would be a first but it didn't mean he wasn't being sincere. He must have sensed me looking at him because he turned to meet my eyes with a frown on his face. "What?"

"Nothing." I whispered, staring at his blue eyes and seeing more emotion then I thought I would. He started to look away but before he could turn his head, I brought my hands up to either side of his face and he stopped and turned back to me. I don't know what possessed me to do what I did next, but I leaned in and pressed my lips against his, kissing him as deeply as I could to express the gratitude I couldn't say. I don't know if he was surprised because I was the one initiating it and not him, but he didn't react right away. That didn't bother me thought, I had decided to kiss to show my thanks and if he didn't respond then that was his issue, not mine.

"I need to return to the bar." He said, standing up and set me back on my feet. He walked around the side of the desk and over to the door where he flipped back the lock and left the room without even looking over his shoulder. When he was gone, I sat back down on the chair and pressed my fingers to my lips. This wasn't how I was thinking the night was going to end. I thought that it would make me feel less confused about how it felt but it only made me feel more uneasy.

"I hate this." I muttered to myself, before I swung around in my chair and went back to work.

* * *

**At Merlotte's**

"Sam? Are you in there? We really need you at the bar." Arlene's voice called out to him as her small fist pounded on the locked door of his trailer while he sat on his couch and stared at the floor.

"I'm not feeling well, have Terry run the place." He yelled back, not even looking up from the spot he was looking at.

"He dropped his hat in the deep fryer again and now he is freaking out. We could really use your help." Arlene stated, sounding both worried and annoyed. "Please Sam?"

"Ask Lafayette to man the place." He shouted, a tone in his voice that said this conversation was over.

"Um, alright. Feel better." She said, her footsteps falling away until he was left in silence again.

This wasn't him, he wasn't supposed to be acting like. Avoiding work, hiding in his trailer, lying to his friends, it was so out of character for him. Even when he was lusting after Sookie, he had never intentionally kept himself hidden away like a bear in winter. But yet, he shared one kiss with Allison and he was doing everything in his power to avoid being seen anywhere she might be. He didn't know why he did it. It was just something that happened and now he didn't know what to make of it. He didn't know what he was feeling or what he was thinking or anything. All he knew was that he had an urge to avoid all contact with people until he could make sense of what happened between him and Allison.

"Why would I do something so crazy?" He asked himself, sitting up and grabbing his beer from the coffee table and taking a long sip. "I never once thought about kissing her."

And that was true. He had never looked at Allison and saw someone he wanted to be with in an intimate way. He always looked at her as a little sister/ best friend, someone who looked up to him and he felt the need to protect. Sure he thought she was beautiful. That was undeniable, but he never looked at her the way that other men did. It just wasn't his thing. He just couldn't picture himself with her. It would just be wrong. He had known the Stackhouse girls for years and never once had he ever thought of Allison as being anything more then a friend. His best friend, who he loved like family, but it stopped at that. Sam had always been attracted to Sookie and always looked at the blonde longingly whenever they were at work together. But with Allison...he had never looked at her the way he looked at Sookie. But something must have shifted because you don't just kiss your best friend unless it meant something. So did that mean he liked Allison? Did it mean he wanted her?

"Oh god I feel so dirty for even thinking that." He groaned, feeling uncomfortable as that thought entered his head. But the moment it did, he couldn't stop it from circulating. Because would it really be that bad to like Allison?

He didn't completely think so. After all, she was young and beautiful and educated. Everything a guy would want in a woman. And she was a woman, it wasn't like he was fantasizing about her and she was a teenager. She was an adult and she was his friend. People fell in love with their best friends all the time, so why should this be any different? She and him had been close for as long as they had known each other. She had stood by his side when he needed someone there for him, she worked hard when she had been his employee and she never once judged him for being a shape-shifter. And that was the big thing for him. He hadn't told any one else about his secret because he feared their reaction. But with her, he was able to be himself and not worry about how she looked at him. Because even after he told her the truth, she didn't look at him any differently and that made him happier then he could have imagined. She was a good person and she was nice to him and he would be a lucky man to have her. And that posed the big question.

Was the kiss a mistake?

* * *

**A few hours later**

"This is a first, I'm actually going home in a good mood." I said to myself with a grin as I closed the file I had just finished entering in the computer and shut the machine down. I returned the file to the shelf and went back to my desk to grab my bag and then left the room, making sure everything was in order before I shut the light off. I sighed happily and walked slowly down the hall, swinging my purse in one hand and fighting the urge to sing. As much as I had protested against the idea in the beginning, drinking Eric's blood was the best thing I could have done. I felt so much better about myself, nothing in my body hurt and I felt stronger then I ever had before. I knew it was because of all the vampire blood I had ingested, but it was something more then that. The look in Eric's eyes before I drank from him was what had changed my mood, I just couldn't get it out of my head. It was so human of him to look at me like that. I felt like I had gained some ground with him and it made me more ecstatic then I was prepared for. I knew I cared for him, but my anger over his absence at my accident had masked that. But when he came to me tonight and asked me to let him heal me, there was just something extremely human about him and it changed how I viewed him. He wasn't as scary as I had first found him. Sure he was still formidable, but I was no longer in fear of my life now when I was around him.

"It's about time you were in a better mood." Eric's voice drifted out of the shadows and I looked up with a smile to see him staring at me. As soon as our eyes, he walked forward to meet me in the middle of the hallway. He towered over me and I had to tilt my head back to look at him. "Now I don't have to listen to your complaining every night."

"Thanks, I think." I said with a smirk, rolling my eyes when I spoke but the smile didn't leave my face. "But seriously, thank you. I mean that."

"Then I suppose this is the part where I say you're welcome." He stated, his hand coming up to my face and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "It was my pleasure."

"Yea. I know, I could tell." I replied, remembering the noise he had made when I fed from him and I wonder if that's how I would react if I ever let him bite me. "I like you a lot better when you are nice to me."

"Don't get used to it because it will never happen again." He huffed, the familiar smirk returning to his face and his hands dropped away. "This was a one time moment."

"I guess I will have to cherish it then." I joked half halfheartedly. I knew Eric wasn't the type to open up willingly but I should try any way. "How come you aren't like this all the time? People might like you more if you are less...angry."

"I don't really care if people like me or not. And being angry brings power. Humans tend to fall in line more easily if they are scared of me." He answered back with a frown and he crossed his arms, his hand brushing against me as he moved. "Like you."

"But I'm not scared of you." I blurted out, watching in surprise as his expression flickered. "At least, not anymore."

"Well you should be." He snapped, narrowing his eyes and pushing me back against the wall. His fangs extended before I could take a breath and his face was coming at me with a hungry look on it. I didn't hesitate before I brought my hand up in front of me instinctively. I didn't know what was going to happen but I saw a bright white light erupt from the end of my fingertips and hit Eric square in the face. He was blasted off his feet and thrown clear across the hallway and he landed with a thud that I was sure every vampire in the building could hear. I watched him sit up, surprise and shock etched across his face, but I wasn't completely taken aback. Sookie had warned me about the powers that ran in our blood from being part fairy and said the very same thing had happened to her. This was the first time I was experiencing my powers and I was taken by surprise not that they had finally showed themselves, but by the strength they had presented. I had no idea that I was going to be able to over power a vampire and toss him away from me like a rag doll. And it seemed like Eric was thinking the same thing.

"So you are like Sookie." He mumbled, nodding in confirmation as he got back to his feet. "You're strong, very strong."

"No, it must have just been a rush or something." I said, feeling nervous about the look in his eyes. Displaying my abilities in front of him was making him look at me like I was a weapon or something. "I need to go. Please don't follow me."

Eric didn't offer any protest as I fled the hall and left the building so fast that my head was spinning.

* * *

**Later that night**

"Oh god, you were amazing tonight." Sookie breathed heavily as Bill rolled off her and onto the bed at her side. He pulled the sheet up over their bodies and brought his finger to the tip of one fang and punctured his skin. As soon as the blood appeared, he rubbed it against the marks he had made on her neck and the blood made the bite disappear in a instant. When he had laid back down, she moved over and settled against his chest as she always did after they had made love. "This is one of the reasons I love you so much."

"Because I give you mind blowing sex every night?" He asked her, his chest rumbling with laughter, making her cuddle against him even more. She loved listening to him laugh.

"Oh yea, that's the only reason." She teased, rolling on her side to look at him. "And you're nice to look at."

"Well look at you Sookie Stackhouse, being all one sided." He shook his head and smiled while his hand went to her face. "I hope that's not the only reason you decided to marry me."

"It's not?" She asked in mock surprise, laughing when he pretended to be offended. She sat up and was leaning towards him to kiss him again when her phone started buzzing on the nightstand next to the bed. She groaned loudly and reached across Bill to grab it. "Hello?"

"Sookie? It's Sam, are you at home?" Her boss asked breathlessly, sounding like he had been running for a while.

"No, I'm with Bill." She answered, frowning as she sat up and pulled the sheets around her. "What are you doing calling me?"

"I needed to ask you something."

"Well I don't really want to talk to you right..." She started to tell him, but Sam cut in before she could finish.

"Is Allison home? She's not taking my calls." He stated, his breathing so heavy that she could barely understand him.

"Yea, she's home, She just got back from work like an hour ago and talked to her. Why do you want to know?" Sookie demanded, curious about what he was up to. But the only sound that met her ear was the dial tone. She pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it. "What the heck was that about?"

"I have no idea." Bill shrugged before a wicked smile came over his face. "But I do have an idea about what I would like to be doing."

"Oh yea?" Sookie smiled and tossed her phone back on the table before Bill climbed on top of her again.

* * *

**At the Stackhouse home**

"Showers can do wonders for a person." I said with a smile as I walked into the living and sat on the couch to finish combing out my damp hair. I had arrived home feeling shaky after my encounter with Eric and I was hoping to talk to Sookie about it, but when I called her, she was with Bill and I didn't want to ruin their night so I just told her I would see her in the morning and hung up. Then I ran upstairs and jumped in the shower and the hot water had put me right at ease. So when I slipped into a pair of shorts and a tank top, I came down here to grab a snack and watch TV. But I wouldn't get a chance to do that because just as I set down my comb, the front door burst open and Sam came into the room unannounced. I jumped up from the couch in surprise. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Your...your face, your bruises...they're gone." Sam sputtered, ignoring my question entirely as his eyes went up and down my body searching for any sign of injury and when he found none, he frowned. "You drank his blood, didn't you?"

"That is none of your business." I replied stubbornly, glaring at him for coming in my house without even asking and even more for asking me such a thing.

"You don't even need to answer, I already know the truth. It's obvious." He snapped, shaking his head in disappointment. "I can't believe you would do that. Again."

"Then why are you still here?" I asked, feeling my anger flare up and I forgot that he and I had just made up a few days ago. "You come in unannounced and start yelling at me about my choices. You don't like it, then get the hell out."

"No." He said simply walking from his place by the door and further in to the room. "I came here because I needed to talk to you face to face. You've been ignoring me for days."

"I needed time to myself to figure out what happened." I said roughly, not looking at him and feeling heat rise up in my face when I mentioned the event that had taken place on the porch of this house.

"I've been doing the same thing." Sam told me, his hands on his waist. "I tried figuring it out myself and I couldn't come to a conclusion. And I had to come over here to see if what happened between us was a mistake."

"Sam, I don't think this is the right..." I was trying to find the words to make sense of what had occurred, but Sam wasn't interested in words. He wanted action and that's what he did. Instead of trying to talk this out, he crossed the space between us and grabbed my shoulders and before I could stop him, he leaned in and kissed me.


	13. Trouble is brewing

**Chapter 13 Trouble is brewing**

"Jesus Christ Sam!" I snapped, finally coming to my senses and pushing him away from me and glaring at him more harshly then I ever have before. I couldn't believe he had the audacity to repeat this again. "Will you stop doing that?"

"What?" He asked, looking somewhat proud of himself and tried to look innocent and pretend that he didn't know what I was talking about.

"Stop kissing me. It just makes everything worse, you idiot." I grumbled, stomping my feet into my sneakers and walked passed him towards the door and yanked it open. "Just leave Sam. I don't want you to be here."

"Don't you think you are over reacting?" He questioned, following me out onto the porch and shutting the door behind him. "I mean, you obviously felt something. You didn't push me away."

"I was in shock you moron." I yelled at him, frustration heavy in my voice as I whirled around to facing, finding him much closer then I had anticipated. "You never give me a second to breathe before you do something stupid again."

"You mean like this?" He asked and before I could put up a defense, he grabbed me by the arms and pulled me forward to plant his warm lips against mine for the third time. I shoved him away roughly, but my anger didn't seem to faze him. "I told you I had to find out if it was a mistake and I don't think it was..."

"I disagree." A dangerously dark voice said before Sam was lifted off his feet and thrown to the ground beside the porch with a figure dressed in all black on top of him and a hand around his throat. It took me a second to realize it was Eric who had attacked Sam and all the blood drained from my face as it dawned on me that my worst fear had come true. Eric had seen Sam kiss me and now he was angry. Really angry. Oh shit.

"Eric stop." I called out, rushing down the steps. "Don't hurt him, he's my friend."

"Stay out of this." Eric replied in the same dark tone he had used hen he cornered me in the hallway at Fangtasia the other night. He lifted his head to look at me and his eyes were nearly black with anger. "He had no right to do what he did."

"Maybe not. But that's for me to deal with, not you." I shouted, looking down at Sam who was glaring at Eric with the utmost hatred in his face, but his eyes said he was nervous. Sam may have been a shifter, but he was no match for overpowering a vampire, especially one as old as Eric. "Let him go."

"And why would I want to do that?" He asked, sounding almost amused as he kept his tight grip on Sam's throat. "So he can go and kiss you again?"

"You're damn right I would do it again." Sam snapped defiantly, pounding at Eric's arms without any progress. But that didn't stop him from trying.

"Sam, shut up." I growled at him, rolling my eyes. "Eric, I'm serious. Let him go."

"I'm serious too." The viking vampire said, a devious look in his eyes. He glanced at me and shrugged. "Serious about doing some major damage to him."

"Don't you dare do that Eric Northman. I mean it." I tried to sound threatening, but my meek voice didn't quite hold onto the tone and it fell away. "Please just forget this. It didn't mean anything."

"Maybe not to you, but it did to him." Eric glared at Sam who was still struggling underneath him. "And as long as that holds true, he will keep doing it."

"What's the matter? Afraid that she might want me more then she wants you?" Sam taunted harshly, earning himself another slam into the ground.

"Do you have a death wish or something? Shut the fuck up." I shouted at my friend, feeling panic ash over me as I stood there only a few feet away. Eric had Sam pinned to the ground with no way of escape and I couldn't just rush over there and pull him off even if I wanted to. I was at a loss for what to do until the answer came to me so quickly that I felt stupid for not coming to it in the beginning. I took a step closer to Eric and this time spoke with more assurance in my voice. "Let him go Eric. Don't make me hurt you."

"I would like to see you try." Eric hissed, his face showing his hatred and fury as he stared down at Sam and began slamming him in the dirt over and over again with no sign of stopping.

I felt my own anger wash over me and it filled up my body until I thought I would burst. I looked down at my hands and smiled when I saw the familiar blinding white light waiting to erupt from my fingertips. I was never quite sure what brought it out of me, but maybe it was a strong emotion that did it. And I was certainly feeling something very strongly at the moment. I twisted my wrist upward so my palm was facing the two men on the ground and aimed the light right at Eric. It hit him in the shoulder and knocked him backwards away from Sam until he skidded to a stop in the dirt about 30 feet away leaving a long rut in the lawn in his wake. The light dimmed as I dropped my hand again and I swallowed nervously when I saw both Eric and Sam staring at me in utter amazement. I don't know if it was as terrifying to them as it was to me as to what I had just done, but if Eric was fazed by it, he didn't show it. He got right back up and was going to charge at Sam again, but I was stupid and stepped directly in his path and he was forced to stop.

"Don't make me do that again. Because I really hate doing it." I told him, keeping my hands up in front of me when he started stalking forward. "Just let this go Eric. It doesn't have to lead to a fight."

"Allie, you can't reason with a vampire. They're all crazy nutcases." Sam said, getting up and appearing at my side with a wary look at Eric. "What the fuck did you just do?"

"It's not important." I shook my head, not taking my eyes off the vampire in front of me. "Just get out of here before he tries something again."

"I can't leave you here alone with him. He could hurt you." Sam protested, his protective tone that he had used so much on me in the past had returned to his voice right now and he was sounding more like my friend again. "I can't leave you to get hurt."

"I'm not going to hurt her." Eric snapped, turning his attention from Sam to me and I watched his eyes narrow. I knew now that his anger lied with me, but I wouldn't tell Sam that or else he would never get out of here safely.

"Sam, you saw what I just did. I can protect myself, but you can't." I explained, turning my head slightly to glance at him. "Please just go now while you still have a chance."

"Fine." He answered gruffly, eying Eric almost as if sizing him up before he looked at me. "Don't get yourself killed."

"I won't" I promised sincerely and nodded. Sam sighed and after sending a glare at Eric once more, he pulled his shirt off and shifted down into a dog and ran off towards the woods leaving me and Eric facing each other in fighting stances.

"You have some explaining to do..."

* * *

**10 minutes later**

"What a beautiful night it is." Sookie observed, walking closer next to Bill as they strolled across the grass towards her house. She smiled when he tightened his hold on her and she leaned her head against his shoulder. It had truly been a magical evening for them. Even after her worries had been confessed out loud, it hadn't dampened their fun. They had continued to make love until she had no choice but to stop to rest and then they spent the last 40 minutes lying in his arms. It had been the best couple of hours she had ever spent. "We should get married at night."

"Sweetheart, I think that is the only way to do it." Bill said with a laugh as his finger toyed with her blonde hair.

"Oh yea, I completely forgot." Sookie groaned, slapping herself on the forehead with the heel of her palm. "I'm sorry, my mind has been totally off lately."

"I understand." Her fiancee replied, kissing her cheek as he always did when she said something of amusement to him. "Are you still worrying about Allison's involvement with Eric?"

"I guess I kind of am." Sookie agreed, pursing her lips together as they walked. "I don't want to hate it, but I can't help myself. I don't want them together. He's going to totally screw her over. I know I should be supportive, but I know Eric too well to do that. Does that make me a bad person?"

"I don't think so. I just think it means your heart is too big." Bill stated, reaching down to take her hand in his cold one. "You care about Allison so deeply and you would be willing to put yourself in any situation to keep her from getting hurt. That's not being bad, that's being loyal and loving. And I wouldn't expect you to be any other way."

"Oh Bill." Sookie breathed, stopping him so she could stand on her toes to kiss him which he happily let her do. His stone arms locked around her waist, making her feel safe and secure as she always did in his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against so closely that she could feel the contours of his chest. "You always say the most perfect..."

"I didn't invite him over. He did that on his own."

"You're lying. You wanted him to show up and you wanted him to kiss you."

"No I didn't you asshole!"

"If I'm an asshole then you are a slut."

"I am not. You're being ridiculous and crazy."

"Then why was he here then?"

"I don't know. He came over without any warning and just kissed me."

"You are mine. No one but me is allowed to touch you the way he was..."

"Oh for Christ sakes Eric..."

"Uh oh." Sookie groaned, pulling away from Bill as the angry voices of Eric and Allison reached their ears and they broke apart from each other. Sookie could see the house through the trees and on the grass in front of the porch stood her cousin and Eric, both standing as if they were ready to fight each other. Bill took one look at her and charged ahead with her running after him across the lawn towards the screaming voices. Neither Allison or Eric saw them coming as they were both too distracted and Bill got closer and stepped in front of Eric while Sookie reached Allison and grabbed her arm. "What in the world is going on here? You two are going to wake the whole damn town."

"Don't look at me." Allison snapped, pointing over Sookie's shoulders to Eric. "He's the one who started it."

"Sam Merlotte was the one who started it." Eric spat, glaring at Bill who stood in his path to keep him in place. "I was just trying to finish it."

"Sam came here?" Sookie asked, turning to look at the younger Stackhouse girl. "He called me earlier asking if you were at home, but he hung up before I could ask why. Is this what this is about?"

"I guess so. I was sitting downstairs and he just came right in and said he needed to know if the kiss was a mistake and then he grabbed me and kissed me again." Allison explained, glancing off to the side as she spoke. " I told him to leave and I went out on to the porch but he came after me and kissed me again. And Eric saw and decided to pick a fight."

"You did what?" Sookie whirled around to look at the two vampires and her eyes widened. "You were trying to hurt him?"

"So what?" Eric replied, pushing Bill off to the side. "He was moving in on my property."

"How many times do I have to fucking tell you?" Allison yelled, grabbing her hair with both hands. "I am no man's property. I belong to myself."

"Not any more you don't." Eric countered with a smirk.

"Do not piss me off again. Because I will hurt..."

"Ok you two, maybe you both need to calm down and relax." Sookie reasoned holding her arms out to her sides to keep the distance between them. "Let's just go inside and talk about..."

"I did all the talking I needed to and its not getting through his stupid vampire skull." Allison screamed, throwing her hands up in the air as she backed away. "I'm going for a walk by myself. You two can deal with him."

Sookie watched her cousin head to the edge of the property and disappear behind a tree and she sighed. Her good night had been spoiled by the craziness of Allison's involvement with Eric and now she was left to diffuse the situation and she wasn't even sure where to begin.

* * *

**20 minutes later**

"Can he be any more of an asshole?" I grumbled to myself as I walked along the dirt path covered in crunchy leaves and kicked at the ground when I thought back to what Eric had said to me before Sookie and Bill had shown up. Now that I had walked out my frustrations, I realized that I wasn't really bothered by his remarks. But I was so caught up in the emotion of everything that had happened, that I had felt the need to step away before I did or said anything that I couldn't take back. And so I escaped to the woods and left Bill and Sookie to handle Eric while I attempted to bring myself back to a more calm state.

As I walked amongst the quietness of the trees and listened to the wind blow calmly through the branches, I tried to figure out what to make of Eric's reaction. In normal circumstances with a normal guy, I wouldn't hesitate to say it was from jealousy. But with Eric, I wasn't sure I could say it was even that. Because from what Sookie had told me about Eric and his way with women, he wasn't the type to get attached emotionally. And I wasn't sure if the way he was with me sometimes was genuine or of it was just for show so he could get what he wanted from me. Not that it wasn't great to be getting attention from someone as handsome as Eric, because it totally was. But it didn't really give me much to go off of besides the physical. Eric hadn't shown too much of himself and that was why I couldn't tell for sure if he was jealous of Sam or not. It could be more of a territorial kind of thing, but that didn't make me any happier either. I wasn't some piece of property that was supposed to be conquered. I was a human being and I was supposed to be treated with respect even if the person I was demanding it from was a vampire. Maybe if Eric just opened himself up a little bit more then I wouldn't be questioning and over analyzing everything. And that brought it back to the question at hand.

Was Eric jealous of Sam?

All signs seemed to point to the obvious, that yes he was jealous. After all, what does it mean if he showed up at my house and tried to kill Sam on my front lawn just because of a kiss? It had to mean something, for him to react so violently. No one behaves like that unless there is major jealousy going on. And I guess that answered my question. Eric would deny it of course, but his actions had spoken louder then his words did. And that could partially be why his insults hadn't affected me when we started arguing. Because I could see now that it was just his way of showing that he cared. And I also was certain beyond a doubt that the kiss had meant nothing to me and I stood by that now when I thought back to it. Sure it felt nice, but it was nothing compared to how I felt when I kissed Eric. I loved Sam and I always would, but it just would never evolve into anything more then that. As much as Eric annoyed, antagonized and pissed me off, there was something about his presence that I couldn't entirely cut off. I was slowly allowing myself to become attached to him even after knowing he would never feel the same way back and I couldn't stop it. It was a fight I wasn't going to win.

_Snap...snap_

"Hello?" I called out into the trees on either side of the path when the sound of snapping twigs under footsteps had filled the air and I paused in my spot to look around. I saw no shadows, no gleam in a person's eyes, no outline of someone waiting to jump out. There was nothing. The moon was almost full, so there was plenty of light shining onto the path and through the branches for me to confirm this. It was most likely my mind playing tricks on me and given how jumpy I was after my argument with Eric, it was only natural to assume the worse when I was out here by myself.

I continued walking, wrapping my arms around myself and cursing that I hadn't thought to grab a jacket before I ran off. I was even more mad that I had wandered so far away from the house with out even realizing it. I did that sometimes when I wasn't paying attention only now it was going to bite me in the ass because it was night time and it was chilly and I was alone. And that was why I picked up my pace and hurried down the path as quickly as I could without tripping. I wasn't walking for much longer when I heard that same noise again. This time I was sure it wasn't a coincidence because I felt my heart nearly jump into my throat and my feet froze to the ground. I listened so hard to the silence that I could practically hear my blood pounding through my veins. I was about to give it up and start walking again, but then the footsteps got louder and they got closer and I was so paralyzed by fear that I couldn't even move my body in the direction towards my house. I was rooted to the ground and turning my head in every which way to see where it was coming from. I spotted movement from the trees on the path in front of me and watched as the figure finally emerged and stepped out of the woods and onto the open trail. I breathed a little more easily, it was moving more like a human then a vampire so I didn't have too much to fear.

"Hello." I called out again, squinting my eyes to try and see if it was anyone I knew. The figure walked forward slowly, its face still in shadow. It wasn't until it stepped in to the moonlight that I got a better look. It was a man, dressed in a black dress shirt and black slacks. His hair flopped over his forehead in a classic kind of way, almost reminding me of Bill. But when I looked at his eyes, the comparison to Bill ended. Because instead of seeing calm compassionate eyes, all I saw was black. Black soul-less eyes. This man was no vampire, but he certainly was no human.

"Allison Stackhouse?" It asked, it's tone sounding sickeningly sweet and my heart plummeted down to my feet when I saw that it knew who I was.

"Who are you? How do you know who I am?" I asked, finding life in my legs again and was able to take a shaky step backwards while keeping my eye on this man. He didn't make a move toward me, but the way he looked at me made me fill up with nerves.

"I've been waiting for you." He said a smile uncurling across his lips and then, just like that, he literally disappeared right in front of me and I was alone once more. I didn't move, not knowing what to expect. I didn't hear anything and I didn't see anything, but I knew better then to trust that. A strange man shows up in the woods with black eyes and just happens to know my name? That's not normal. And I wasn't going to move until I was sure I was safe. If I had to, I would use my powers to defend myself. I just had to be ready when I saw him again.

But I never got that chance.

I was standing in the middle of the path waiting for him to appear when I felt a swipe at my back. I whipped around but I found nothing there except empty space. I swallowed hard, holding my hands up in front of me but then I felt myself being shoved from behind and I turned around thinking I would see him, but once again there was nothing. This guy wasn't a vampire, so how was he moving so fast? I could hear his laughter as I spun around looking for him, I almost caught sight of him but he always was gone a second later. It was like he was evaporating into the air. I couldn't keep him in sight, and that meant I couldn't take him down. This was when I felt my fear start to grow considerably and I didn't know what else to do. I was going to open my mouth and scream, and hope that someone would hear me but when my head was turned towards the trees, I was tackled to the ground by what I knew was the man with black eyes. I could see his face when he lifted his head up away from me. His weight settled on me and before I could scream, his hand covered my mouth and I felt his breath against my ear when he leaned in to speak. "Don't worry little Allison, the pain will be over soon."

Those were the last words he spoke before he reared his head back and sank his teeth into my neck.

* * *

**Back home**

"Am I right or am I right?"

"No you are an idiot."

"You're the idiot. You're the one behaving like a child, no wonder Allison had to get away from you..."

Sookie sat back on the couch and listened to the two vampires banter back and forth and tried not to laugh. But she was finding it very hard not to. It was just too funny. Under normal circumstances she would have been nervous to have too angry immortals in her house, but the way they were talking to each other made the whole situation seem hilarious. Bill and Eric were standing at either end of the living room screaming at each other like little boys who had stolen toys from the other one. She had seen the two of them at their most violent and vengeful and to see them behaving so childishly was beyond anything she expected to see in her lifetime. So she sat back and watched the expressions fly across their faces and shook her head. She couldn't wait for Allie to get back to see this...

_Pain...Pain...Pain_

_Oh god, it hurts so bad._

_I can't even fight back. I have no strength left._

_He's hurting me...He's hurting me.._

_I can feel the life leaving my body. I'm dying..._

"Stop. Stop it." Sookie screamed out in horror, jumping to her feet and bringing an end to the shouting match between the two vampires. Both Eric and Bill turned to look at her and she could barely recognize their faces. "You have to go. You have to go."

"Go where? Sookie what is wrong?" Bill asked, rushing to her side when she grabbed the side of the couch to keep herself steady. She couldn't even feel Bill's hands on her face when he shook her."Tell me what is the matter."

"It's Allison, I heard her thoughts just now. She's in the woods." Sookie managed to spit out, her lower lip quivering as Eric and Bill glanced at each other to make sense of what she was saying. Sookie pushed Bill away and stood up straight. "She's been attacked, she thinks she is dying."

"If this is an attempt to distract me from what happened then its a really bad job." Eric scoffed, shaking his head and leaning against the doorway while Bill glanced between them. He seemed torn between believing Eric and looking concerned. Eric however didn't appear worried at all.

"Is she really in danger?" He demanded and she nodded furiously, begging him with her eyes to take her seriously. He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Can you tell where she is?"

"Her thoughts didn't say where she was. But when she goes for a walk, she always takes the same path through the woods, the one that starts on the edge of the property." Sookie hurriedly said gripping onto Bill's arm tighter then she ever had before. "Please Bill, you have to..."

"Stay in the house. Do not go outside." Bill ordered and then he was out the door in a flash and she was left there with Eric.

"I can't believe you aren't going with him." She snapped, crossing her arms. "Do you not care at all about her? She may be dying and you're just standing there like nothing is wrong."

"If this is some plan you thought up to..." Eric started to say but Sookie stomped over to his spot and grabbed him by the shirt.

"Listen to me you bastard. My cousin is out in the woods all alone, being attacked by who knows what and you think I'm making it up? Are you insane? I heard her thoughts, I heard her pain. And I would have thought you cared about her after the way you acted tonight. But I guess I was wrong. You don't care about her. And when you finally wake up to your mistakes, it will be too god damn late. You just better hope Bill can save her. Because if she dies, I will find a way to blame it on you."

"I'm sure you would." Eric said, reaching over and placing his hand on her shoulder. His eyes finally registering concern. "Stay put, we won't be gone long."

And then he too rushed out the door and left her truly alone to wait for whatever may come.

* * *

**Out in the woods**

It didn't take him long to find the path Sookie had told him about and Bill moved along it as fast as he could go. He had no intention of slowing down at all. The look on Sookie's face when she told them Allison was in trouble, was enough to keep him moving. If he even paused for a second, it could be a second too late. By then she could be dead and even vampire blood couldn't bring her back. So he had to find her. But even with his vampire hearing, he couldn't hear her screams and that made apprehension fall over him. If she wasn't screaming then it was a bad sign, a very bad sign. He zipped down the trail, listening and looking for any sign of the young brunette but it was his nose that alerted him to her whereabouts. Somewhere ahead of him, probably just around the corner he could smell blood, lots of it. And with a last burst of speed, he surged forward and swung around the bend and skid to a stop, horror filling him at the sight on the path in front of him. There was Allison, lying right in the middle of the trail with a dark figure on top of her with its mouth attached to her neck. He could smell the blood and see it coating her skin as the creature continued to drink from her, spilling splatters of it all over the place. This thing wasn't a vampire, a vampire would never be so sloppy with this much fresh blood, it had to be something else that was supernatural. Bill got his answer when the figure caught wind of his arrival and lifted its head to look at him. Even in the dark Bill could see the blackness of it's eyes and the way it looked at Allison hungrily, it filled him up with such anger that he rushed forward and pulled the creature off of her and threw it away from them. It landed on it's feet with no apparent injury from Bill's ambush.

"What the fuck are you?" Bill demanded, finding himself bending over in a crouch. He was prepared to fight if that's what it came to, but his first priority was Allison. She was losing more blood from the bite mark on her neck and it wouldn't be too long until she blacked out if she hadn't already. "What are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The creature hissed, stepping forward and then with a flick of it's fingers, it was gone into the air. Bill wasn't fooled, he knew it would be back and he stood his ground waiting. Sure enough, withing a few seconds it appeared again, only this time much more closer. It strolled forward, also in a fighting stance. "You ruined my plans."

"What plans? Who sent you?" Bill shouted, eying the creature cautiously.

"Such a pretty little thing she was." The figure said, shaking it's head as it circled them. "I wasn't going to kill her, but she tasted so good I just couldn't stop. And I would have kept on going, but you ruined it. Get out of here vampire, she's mine."

"Think again asshole." Eric's voice said as he rushed passed Bill and dived at the creature, taking it down easily. But the creature had been alert and as soon as Eric moved, it was gone. Eric was on the ground, holding empty air and furiously turning his head in every direction to find it. It re-appeared down the path and waved at them tauntingly to which Eric immediately responded to. He ran at the figure, using his speed to catch up but once more it disappeared before he could catch it.

"Eric, stop. We'll kill it at another time." Bill called out to his superior, kneeling down at Allison's side and noticing she was barely alive. Her heart was beating slowly and her eyes were shut and her body limp. They were going to lose her if they didn't move fast. "Eric please. You have to come back and help me. She's dying. She needs blood."

"I'll do it." Eric said, appearing at his side and abandoning his quest to go after Allison's attacker. He joined Bill beside Allison and wasted no time in gathering the bloodied girl in his arms. "Get back to the house. I will heal her there."

And then he was gone.

**

* * *

**

**Sookie's P.o.v**

"Where are they?" Sookie asked herself anxiously as she stood in the hallway just inside the front door and stared out the window to the dark yard and searched for any sign of Eric or Bill or even Allison, but there was nothing at all and that was making her nervous. If two vampires hadn't returned yet then something was seriously wrong. It wouldn't have taken them this long to get back. She tried opening her mind up to read Allison's thoughts to see what was going on, but she got nothing but a blankness. Normally this wouldn't have bothered her because there were very rare times when she could do this. But after hearing her cousin's painful thoughts and then hearing nothing at all, it made her think the worse. So she was standing here, shifting from foot to foot waiting for someone to come back. Every second that passed by seemed to go by excruciatingly slow as if to draw out her stress to the maximum level. She was tempted to go out and look for them herself, but she knew better then to defy Eric and Bill. And not knowing what it was that had attacked Allie had kept her here where she was.

A crash came from the back of the house and she recognized it as the back door being opened and she rushed from the front hallway towards the kitchen without even thinking. She paused in the doorway, seeing Bill standing in front of Eric who was kneeling on the floor and both of their hands and arms were covered in blood. Sookie didn't even have to look to know what Allison looked like, she already knew it was bad. It was obvious by the way the blood was stained across the kitchen floor and the way she could see her cousin's arm lying lifelessly at her side. Eric had laid her down right in the middle of the kitchen and he was now removing his leather jacket and tossing it over a chair. Sookie felt tears well up in her eyes and she found herself crying out. "What happened to her?"

"Sookie, come with me. You don't need to see this." Bill looked up and stepped away from Eric and came over to her and took her by the arm. "Follow me."

"No, I'm not leaving her." Sookie protested, trying to wrestle her arm d away but Bill had a firm grasp and began leading her away. "Bill Compton, let me go. I mean it."

"Unless you want to stay and watch me feed your cousin my blood, then I suggest you leave." Eric warned, his tone dark and serious as he brought his arm to his mouth and she hear that unforgettable sound of fangs meeting flesh and she squeezed her eyes shut. "That's what I thought. Now leave."

"Come on." Bill ordered, pulling her out of the kitchen and back into the living room where he pointed to the sofa and she sat down with a huff, still wishing she was back there by Allison's side. Bill sat down next to her and grabbed her hands. "Do you want me to tell you what happened?"

"Yes of course."

"I followed the scent of Allison's blood and it was easy because there was so much of it, but I knew it wasn't another vampire who did this because we wouldn't have wasted a drop of blood and this blood was every where. When I finally came around the corner of the path, I saw her. She was being bitten and fed on by this human looking creature with black eyes."

"Black eyes? What does that mean?" Sookie questioned, feeling horror rush over her. "What was it?"

"I do not know, but it wasn't anything human." Bill told her, his cold hands stained by her cousin's blood. "It ran off before Eric could catch it. But I stopped him from going after it because Allison was barely alive when we got to her and his blood is a lot stronger then mine and he would kill me if I even thought about trying to save her myself."

"Is she going to be ok?" Sookie asked, her lip quivering and she listened for any sign of life coming from the kitchen, but all she heard was Eric muttering something. She grabbed Bill's shirt in her fists and shook him. "He can save her right?"

"As long as she can take his blood then there is a very good chance that she will live." Bill assured her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and bringing her close to him. She settled against his chest and felt the tears start to fall. Bill could sense her sadness and he tightened his grip on her. "Do not worry. She will be fine."

"She better be, or I will never forgive myself."

* * *

**50 minutes later**

_"It's been almost an hour and she hasn't woken up yet. Maybe it didn't work."_

_"It did work, you just have to give it a little longer. She wasn't attack by humans, she was bitten by something else, something supernatural.. That's going to take a little more time to come back from. But she's alive, I can hear her heart beating. You can too, right Bill?"_

_"Yes, it is quite strong, she will be fine. Everything will be ok Sookie."_

_"I will believe that when she wakes up. Until then I stand by my doubts."_

_"Do you always have to be such a downer?"_

_"I think this situation calls for it."_

_"I saved her life, you should be thanking me on your hands and knees."_

_"You were almost too late, you asshole! You didn't even believe me when I said she was hurt."_

_"Can you two please shut up. I think she is going to wake up any minute now..."_

I knew who those voices belonged to and I wished I could laugh to let them know I was alright, but I couldn't feel any part of my body. Everything felt heavy as if my arms and legs were dead weight and were just lying there waiting to break off into separate pieces. I couldn't see anything in front of me, it was pitch black and I felt like I was just hovering in the air with nothing above or below me. My ears were filled with the sound of rushing blood and the frantic beat of a restarted heart. It was like drums being played right next to me and after a while I realized it was the sound of my own heart inside my chest. Maybe this was just an illusion. Maybe I was really dead and only thinking that I was coming back to life to make the transition easier. Perhaps I wasn't really feeling a tingling in my fingertips or movement in my toes and it was all just in my head. But I felt heat spread through out my body and then my hair began whipping up on both sides of my face and I realized I was falling downward. I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut, plunging myself into an even darker void and waited for my body to crash against whatever ground might be waiting for me. But it never came. I fell and fell for what seemed like hours. My hair flying all over my face and my arms wrapped around myself but it wouldn't help when I finally landed wherever I was going. I didn't want it to stop because I knew it would be painful when I did. I wasn't hurting at all at the moment. I thought I would be considering how much it hurt when that creature bite me. But I wasn't in any pain and I wanted it to stay that way. But instead of hitting something hard, I felt my body start to slow down, the wind in my ears started dying off and eventually I came to a stop and landed on something soft. I could hear the murmuring of voices getting louder and louder until it felt like they were in the same room as me. And then I realized I had all feeling back in my body and I could move. That's when my eyes shot open and I saw I was back in the living room of my house with three familiar faces staring down at me. "Holy shit."

"Allie?" It was Sookie who spoke first as she leaned down to gather me up in a hug and squeezed me tightly. I hugged her back, grateful and relieved to know I wasn't dead and had been brought back to her. She pulled back and kept her hands on my shoulders. "How do you feel?"

"Tired and weak, but I think ok." I told her, looking around the room and seeing Bill standing not too far away by the wall and Eric leaning against the fire place with his arm on the mantle. Both vampires were covered in what I guessed to be my blood and I vaguely remembered seeing their faces out in the woods. "What happened?"

"You were attacked and Bill and Eric rescued you." She explained, tucking my hair behind my ear and grasped my hands. "You lost a lot of blood so Eric had to heal you. Again."

"And she loved it. Didn't you?" Eric asked with a smirk, standing up straight and walking over to the couch where he dropped down next to me and I could his gray shirt also stained with blood.

"Eric don't start. She's been through enough." Sookie warned, sending him a glare before turning back to me. "What happened before you were attacked?"

"I was just walking on that path when I heard footsteps and I stopped. I looked for whatever it was but I didn't see anything so I kept moving. But then I heard it again and I saw this man step out of the woods and onto the trail in front of me. He had these creepy black eyes like he was possessed or something. He knew who I was and he said he was waiting for me. I tried to keep him in sight but he kept vanishing into the air. Then he threw me to the ground and he started biting me and drinking from me. But I don't think he was a vampire." I said after I finished explaining and watching the expression on Eric's face change I frowned. "Do you know what it was?"

"Judging from the mess it made in the woods and the wound in your neck..." Eric paused and I felt his fingers stroke the skin on my neck where I'm sure I had been bitten. " And those black eyes. Not to mention the fact that it was able to vanish without so much as noise makes me sure of what it is. I haven't heard of one in a very long time but they do exist."

"What does?" Both Sookie and I asked him, our hands grabbing each others nervously.

"You were attacked by a demon/witch hybrid..."


	14. Finding Answers

**Chapter 14 Finding Answers**

"Well don't you just look like you had a good night?" Pam's mocking voice met his ears as soon as he stepped foot into his office and kicked the door shut behind him. He ignored her as he walked over to his desk and dropped down into his chair and threw his leather jacket on the floor at his feet. Pam didn't seem fazed by his attitude and simply took a seat on the couch against the opposite wall and settled into the cushions with a smile on her pink painted lips. "So what action did I miss?"

"Not now Pam." Eric said to his progeny as he sat back in his seat and glanced down at the blood still covering his clothing and hands and the image of how he had come across Allison in the woods, came back to him now.

"You're really going to say not now, when you come in here covered in blood and looking like you've been to a buffet? I don't think so." Pam shook her head, whipping her hair back behind her shoulder. "Come on Eric, fess up. What were you just doing?"

"Since you are so hard up for answers, I will tell you." Eric snapped, growing weary of his child's nosiness and slammed his fists on the top of the desk. "I had to rescue Allison Stackhouse from a demon/witch hybrid."

"So they do exist. Interesting." Pam said thoughtfully, tapping her fingers on her chin and she looked at him eying his bloody appearance. "Doesn't look like it left much to her."

"It really didn't, it was incredibly sloppy and spilled blood everywhere. I had to give her mine to revive her." Eric told her, scrapping at the blood covering his nails. "It was hiding in the woods waiting for her."

"She was walking in the woods and it attacked? That was a real smart move on her part." Pam scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Humans are so stupid sometimes. They always have to run off into the woods at night and it always gets them in trouble."

"The stupidity wasn't all on her part." Eric muttered more to himself then out loud, but Pam still picked it up and she started smirking.

"I should have known you weren't completely innocent in this whole thing." Pam got up and moved to the chair in front of the desk and sat down with her elbows on the table in front of her. "What did you do?"

"I almost killed the shifter." He responded roughly, wishing he had followed through with it and that Allison hadn't interfered, but he wasn't going to admit that to Pam. "I saw him kiss Allison and I attacked him. But he got away and she and I started arguing."

"He kissed her and you threw a hissy fit?" Pam asked, her eyebrows raised in amusement. "Gosh Eric that kind of sounds like you are jealous."

"She is mine and he was trying to intrude on my territory." Eric snapped, his fists clenching tightly in front of him. "That's all there was to it."

"Sure it was." Pam agreed, but she sounded doubtful. "So what happened after you guys argued?"

"Sookie and Bill showed up and Allison ran off into the woods and that's when she was attacked. Sookie heard her thoughts and Bill and I went out to find her." Eric explained, remembering the events in very clear detail. "I actually thought it was bullshit in the beginning."

"Yea." Was all Pam said before she sat back with a frown on her face. Eric was surprised at this sudden quietness from the younger vampire. Normally Pam wouldn't hesitate to nag him for details for hours on end, but tonight she fell silent and stared at the floor with a thoughtful look on her face.

"What's with that look?" He questioned, getting the feeling that she had something serious to say.

"The attack happened right after you guys argued and she went off alone?" Pam asked him, but it was more to clarify what he had said rather then re-ask it.

"Yea, why?"

"This may sound crazy and a little far fetched, but do you think that it was sent by someone to attack her?" Pam offered, pressing her lips together tightly.

"You're saying you don't think this was a coincidence?"

"Think about it Eric. The attack happens right after you and her were fighting and she goes off into the woods alone. And you also said that it was waiting for her. That kind of makes me think that it was on a mission for someone." Pam finished, clasping her hands together almost nervously. "I honestly don't think it was random. It was planned."

"By who?" Eric demanded, now furious that the idea had been planted in his head. He was annoyed that he hadn't come up with it first, but that wasn't the issue. "Who would send a demon hybrid to attack a human girl?"

"Maybe she pissed somebody off." His child suggested with a shrug. "I don't really think that's it, but something doesn't feel right. It just all feels so calculated. Like it was supposed to happen this way."

"You could be right." Eric told her grudgingly, not wanting to praise her too much. "We need to investigate this before we act. We don't want to have any slip ups."

"You sound like Godric when you talk like that." Pam said without thinking and instantly clammed up after she realized what she said. She looked at him with an apprehensive look on her face and cringed. "I only meant that..."

"...he would always know what to do and how to act in situations like these. If only he was here to offer guidance." Eric murmured as his thoughts turned to his maker who he still often thought about, even after he had met the true death. Even though he and Godric had been polar opposites when it came to dealing with others, and they never agreed on appropriate behavior, Eric still sometimes tried to imagine what his maker would say if he were standing in this room. Eric shook his head to rid himself of these thoughts and looked at his child again. "Godric is not here and we have to figure out how to proceed."

"So what do we do?" Pam questioned, letting the Godric subject go.

"Dawn is approaching, so we have no choice but to rest until nightfall. But once we rise, something is going to be done about this. That creature is going to pay..."

****

**

* * *

**

Later that afternoon

"Sookie, what are you doing home?" I asked in surprise when I saw my cousin walk into the house and drop her bag on the floor. I sat up on the couch and tossed the book I had been reading on the table in front of me. "I thought you had to work all day."

"I was supposed to, but Sam let me leave early so I could watch over you." She replied, running a hand through her disheveled hair and sat down on the opposite end of the couch from me and sighed. "I told him about what happened and he said that I could take the rest of the day off."

"He did?" I frowned, ignoring the fact that she had spoken to the man who had started off last night so wrongly. "I thought you guys weren't really speaking."

"We weren't, but after last night and all the craziness that has happened, I figured being mad at Sam was one less thing I would have to worry about. So we talked about everything and he sees where I am coming from now and I think we are ok." Sookie explained with a nod, twisting her blonde hair. "He thought it would be best if I stayed with you, rather then try and work when my mind was elsewhere."

"That was nice of him." I said, biting the inside of my lip as I thought of Sam and his part in the events of last night. "I assumed he was freaking out when you told him."

"Kind of. He couldn't lose it too badly considering we were at work, but I could tell he was worried about you." Sookie answered back, looking uncomfortable while she spoke. "He told me to tell you, that he's thinking about you."

"Oh boy." I sighed, shaking my head and pushing back the hair that fell in my eyes.. "I can't even deal with that right now."

"He just cares about you." Sookie offered with a shrug.

"I think he cares a little too much." I frowned, trying not to think of my friend. That's how I thought of him, as a friend. I couldn't seem to look passed that image. "Tell me honestly. Do you think Sam cares about me as more then just a friend?"

"You really want me to answer that?" Sookie asked with a grimace and when I nodded, she continued. "I think he does. I mean, I know he has reservations about it considering he's never thought about it before. But that aside, I think he is feeling something for you."

"That's what I was afraid of." I groaned, covering my face with my hands and fell back against the cushions while picking at my cousin through my fingers. "Is it wrong of me to wish that what happened with Sam last night had never happened?"

"I don't think it is wrong at all. It's just how you feel, you can't help it." Sookie pointed out, propping her elbow up on the back of the couch and brought her knees up to her chest. "Just be gentle with him. He takes disappointment very hard."

"I know, that's why this is so difficult. Because I know he won't like what I have to say." I finished with a heavy sigh, blowing a piece of hair off my forehead. "I don't want to make things awkward between us, but I can't lie and say I feel something if I don't."

"Sweetie, you don't have to explain that to me. I know first hand what you're going through." She reminded me, reaching over and patting my hand. "I went through the same thing when Sam was interested in me."

"He still is, he might just be crushing on me to try and forget about you." I chimed in truthfully and nearly laughed when Sookie's face turned a bright red. "Sorry but you know I am right."

"And that doesn't bother you?" She questioned as she sat up. "That he may just be using you to get over me?"

"Not at all. If I felt the same about him then I would be upset and hurt. But I'm not interested in Sam the same way he is about me. That's just fact, so it doesn't bother me." I said, running my hands through my hair. "It only bothers me when it starts affect my situation with Eric."

"I knew you would eventually bring his name up in this conversation." Sookie exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. She looked bewildered for a moment but then she regained composure. "It just baffles me how you can care for that guy. Eric is just such a handful."

"I know, but it's like you said before. You can't help how you feel..."

* * *

**2 hours later**

"Hey Sookie, can I talk to you about something?" Allison asked her later that day as the two girls gathered in the kitchen to make a snack. Sookie was surprised to hear her cousin speak because for the last couple of hours she had been pretty quiet and distant and Sookie had begun to wonder if something else beside the demon attack was going on.

"Sure. What's on your mind?" She responded with a gentle smile and a wave of her hand to beckon the younger girl in to the room. Allison moved from her place in the doorway and sat down in one of the old wooden chairs at the circular table with her chin in her hand and a vacant expression on her face. Sookie frowned when she looked at her and stopped what she was doing and came over to the table to join her cousin. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, just thinking about something." She murmured, tapping her fingers on the table top. "Sookie, when you first started using your powers, did you ever feel like it was too much? Like you had too much strength?"

"Not really, my powers always seemed to be at the same strength as they always were." Sookie replied, thinking back to when she had first discovered that she could do things without touching them. She supposed it all started when she had used the chain to choke out Mac Rattray in the parking lot at Merlotte's, but she always felt like whatever force she exerted was suited for her. She looked at Allison and said. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that lately I have been using my abilities and I never really used them before. And last night when Eric was attacking Sam, I used my powers to throw him clear across the yard and..."

"That's why we have a 30 foot rut in our front lawn?" Sookie interrupted with a giggle and the tension on Allison's face lifted and she too smiled.

"Sorry about that." She said with a shrug and a roll of her eyes. "I guess I didn't know my strength."

"I guess not." Sookie agreed, leaning back in her seat. "Is that what you're worried about? How strong you seem to be?"

"That's exactly it. I mean, we are from the same family, so why are my powers stronger then yours?" She questioned, her eyebrows raised in worry. "It scares me a little. I sometimes feel like I can't harness all that strength."

"It takes practice and even if you are stronger, the more you use your abilities, the easier it will be to control them." Sookie assured her, grabbing her hand in comfort. "And the next time you get mad at Eric, and there will be a next time, you will be able to toss him away without ruining our yard."

"It's funny how I first started using my powers when I was around him. He pissed me off and I took him off his feet. It's kind of funny to see the expression on his face when he realizes I momentarily over powered him." Allison mentioned with a slight giggle.

"Oh I am sure he loves that." Sookie said sarcastically. "Eric never likes to be outmatched, especially by a woman."

"At least I know I can protect myself if he ever gets to be too much." Allie murmured, setting her chin back in her hand with a frown. "How is it that I was able to put Eric in his place but when I get attacked by a demon, I nearly die?"

"You have to remember that it was also part witch, so it could disappear and reappear in any place it wanted." Sookie pointed out, pressing her lips together. "Besides, you were caught off guard and when that happens, its like you're defenseless."

"Good point." Allison nodded, a far away look in her eyes. "It's weird, but I just have this feeling that a lot of stuff is going to happen in the next couple of weeks."

"I've been feeling that way too."

**

* * *

**

**At Fangtasia **

"We have to talk."

"Apparently." Eric said, sitting back in his desk chair and looking at Bill Compton who had just abruptly walked into his office without so much as a knock and a greeting. He had been expecting the younger vampire's arrival ever since the sun had gone down. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what our plan of action is. After what happened 24 hours ago, I figured you would plotting some kind of revenge." Bill retorted, dropping down in the chair across from him and leaned back. "You do have a plan, don't you?"

"When have I not ever had a plan?" Eric smirked, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the desk. "It's simple, we're going to capture the demon and kill it."

"Not so simple, you can't kill something until you know where it is." Bill pointed smartly with his eyebrows raised.

"No shit." Eric snapped, glaring at Bill from across the table. "Don't be a smart ass."

"Just stating the obvious." Bill said, holding up his hands. "So are we going to do this any time soon or what?"

"Oh we're not doing anything just yet. First we have to track it and figure out where it is going or if it is still around here. And that's where Pam and Chow come in." Eric explained and then sat back and yelled in the direction of the door where he knew his progeny and Chow were milling about in the hallway. The two came in as soon as he called for them and stood side by side in the middle of the room, waiting for his orders. Pam for once had come in obediently and without complaining like she usually did. Eric smirked and addressed the two arrivals. " I have a mission for the two of you."

"Let me take a wild guess. It has something to do with that whole demon situation, right?" Pam questioned, crossing her arms over her black silk dress that she wore when she worked the main floor of the bar. She glanced over at Bill and nodded to herself. "That's why he's here, I assume."

"I'm not in the mood for your backtalk tonight Pam." Eric warned, sending a look over her way that she took in and fell silent. "I need you and Chow to head to Bon Temps and scan the area and any neighboring town for traces of the demon. I want to know where it is headed or where it came from."

"Absolutely Mr Northman." Chow agreed without moving his body in the slightest.

"So do you actually agree with my theory that it was purposely sent by someone?" Pam asked, turning her attention from Bill and back over to him. "Because you know I'm right."

"I did give some thought to it and perhaps you made a point." Eric scoffed, rolling his eyes when Pam lit up happily. "Don't get too full of yourself though, you have a job to do."

"Right away boss." Pam heckled and she and Chow turned and disappeared from the office in a flash, leaving him and Bill to stare at each other.

"So that's what you're going off of?" He questioned, frowning in thought as he spoke. "You really think it was sent to attack Allison?"

"Yes, it makes sense if you really think about." Eric responded with a frown of his own. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew his progeny was right. The attack was too soon after his argument with Allison for it to be coincidental and that's how he explained it to Bill. "So we wait till we know where it is."

"And until then?" Bill stood up, preparing to leave.

"We go to Bon Temps and stand guard at the house until we know something. Pam and Chow will know to find us there." Eric told him, standing as well and grabbing his jacket. "We don't know if this thing will attack again and it's best if we are there in case it shows."

"Well look who is getting all protective." Bill taunted with a smirk on his lips. "Are you getting soft in your old age?"

"Say that again and I will break off the leg of this chair and stake you with it."

* * *

**15 minutes later **

"Oh boy."

"What is it?" I asked Sookie, looking up from the book I had been reading and saw her standing in the corner by the window and peeking through the curtains out at the yard. She had been doing that on and off all day and now that it was night time, she had been practically camped out there all the while trying to convince me that it was nothing. I wasn't fooled for a minute, but I let it go because I didn't want to waste energy trying to pry information out of her. Sookie may look sweet, but she could be very stubborn when she wanted to be and fighting with her when I was at my best was an exhausting thing. And even though I had Eric's blood, I was still regaining my strength after the attack last night.

"Well, I don't know how up you are for company, but we have two visitors coming across our lawn right now." Sookie sighed, pointing through the glass and I jumped up from the couch and went over to where she was standing to look.

"This night is about to get more interesting." I groaned, dropping the curtains and ran my hands through my long hair. The sight of seeing Eric walking towards the house with Bill made me want to run and hide. I wasn't sure how to act around him after everything that had occurred last night but I didn't have time to think it out because the front door swung open and the two vampires sauntered in and shut it behind them with a loud bang. Sookie went to greet them while I simply walked back to the couch and sat down and waited for them to join us.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sookie asked, leading them into the living and taking a seat next to me while Bill sat across from us and Eric stood in the corner by the window with his arms crossed. It didn't bother me that he was being distant but it didn't mean I didn't sneak a peek at him every once in a while. Despite the pissed look on his face, he still looked good.

"We just came from Fangtasia and Eric had Pam and Chow go out to track the scent and see where it leads. And it seemed like a good idea to come here and wait for their findings, so here we are." Bill explained, sending an assured smile at Sookie and I which I appreciated. "As soon as we can tell where it is going, we can kill it."

"Do you know how to kill it?" I asked, tugging on my hair and looking at Eric who had turned to look at the rest of us. His eyes avoided me but he did answer.

"We're in the process of figuring that out." He muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the wall.

"So we just wait?" Sookie looked between Bill and Eric for confirmation. "We sit here and do nothing?"

"I wouldn't say nothing." Eric turned his head with a smirk. He glanced at Bill and said. "We could pass the time by having extremely rough and loud sex, together."

"Eww." Sookie looked disgusted and sickened and I tried not to groan out loud at Eric's one track mind. So I rolled my eyes and stood up.

"I'm just going to go disappear into the kitchen to escape the craziness." I told my cousin, stepping passed her and hightailing into the other room after motioning for Sookie to stay there and leave me in peace. As soon as I stepped through the doorway, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief and felt myself relax. There was too much tension in the other room and it was nice to be away from it. I walked over to the cabinets and reached in to grab a glass so I could get myself some water. I flipped the faucet handle and watched as the glass filled to the brim and then I shut it off and stood there in front of the sink drinking and staring out into the darkened back yard. I was just about to turn around and sit down at the table when I heard heavy footsteps entering the room and I looked up expecting to see Eric, but instead it was Bill. I smiled gently at him and walked over to the table. "Hey Bill."

"Hey Allison." Bill replied, sitting across from me and placed his hands on the table top. "How are you doing?"

"I'm ok. Not back to my full strength, but I'm getting there." I said with a shrug, running my fingertip along the rim of the glass. I nodded to the other side of the house and asked. "You really left them alone together?"

"Surprisingly yes." Bill chuckled, the amusement evident in his face. "But I mostly left to make sure you were alright. Eric can say inappropriate things in the worse possible moments, so you shouldn't take it personally."

"I'm not." I answered back, but the sharp tone in my voice suggested that I was carrying a grudge for what he had said. Bill could tell because he opened his mouth to speak but I shook my head. "It's ok. It's not a big deal."

"I think it is to you." Bill replied with a knowing look. "I can tell by the look on your face that his comment rubbed you the wrong way."

"It doesn't matter." I muttered, turning my focus away and stared at the table and it hit me that, not only did it matter, but it mattered more then I ever could have expected.

**

* * *

**

**1 hour later**

"I think I'm going to go out on the porch. I can't really take this silence anymore." Allison whispered to her as she glanced around the room at the two silent vampires but it was really Eric she was directing her comment at.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Sookie asked her cousin as they both stood up and headed out of the room. She felt bad for Allison because for the last hour, Eric had completely ignored her and the younger Stackhouse girl had grown more fidgety. Sookie guessed she had reached her breaking point with the viking vampire and instead of yelling at him like she should have done, she was taking a different route and walking out of the house.

"No, I'll be fine. I promise I won't go any where if that's what you're afraid of." Allie said loudly, announcing it back to the living room so both Bill and Eric could hear even though she could have said it in a whisper and they still would have known. Bill nodded in understanding but Eric didn't even turn his head when she spoke. Allison just rolled her eyes and pulled open the door. "I'll come back in a little while."

"Alright." Sookie said, patting her cousin on the shoulder and shutting the door before turning to go back in the living room. She paused in the doorway and watched as Eric continued to stand motionless in the same spot as he was in when he first arrived and she just lost it. "Are you that much of an asshole?"

"Sookie, relax." Bill called out from his spot on the couch. He was watching her with hyper-observant eyes to catch any move she might make.

"Bill, don't take this the wrong way. But please shut up." Sookie told him with a wave of her hand. "I have a point to make."

"I haven't done anything." Eric huffed, uncrossing his arms and drawing himself up to his full height.

"That's kind of my point. You're standing there, doing nothing when you could be using this opportunity to make nice with my cousin. And instead you are just ignoring her, like she was the one who offended you." Sookie shot back, narrowing her eyes as she walked around the side of the couch and over to him. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Maybe your annoying cousin did offend me, did you ever think about that?" Eric growled, his eyes flashing so much that Bill actually stood up to get between them.

"Oh please. It was just a kiss, Eric. Get over it already, it didn't mean anything to her." Sookie protested, looking past Bill's shoulder and into Eric's face. "But for some reason that I can't make sense of, you mean something to her. So stop being a jackass and go make up with her."

"I have nothing to say." Eric replied with no emotion in his voice.

"Of course you don't. You never have anything to say." She said sarcastically, turning away from Bill and started walking across the living room. She looked over her shoulder at Eric and said, "With the way you treat her, maybe she is better off with Sam."

"That will never happen."

"We'll see about that." Sookie grumbled and stomped away into the kitchen to be in peace.

* * *

**Out on the porch**

"It's so peaceful out here." I said out loud as I stood by the railing of the porch and leaned my head against the pole and looked out into the darkened yard. I had been outside for the past 20 minutes with no desire to go back inside and face the three people waiting for me. Especially not after I heard Sookie yelling at Eric for ignoring me, so I stayed out here and enjoyed the relaxing stillness of the night. It wouldn't be long until someone came out here to get me so I might as well enjoy the time I had left before something happened that needed my attention. The wind blew my hair lightly over my shoulders and a few of the strands tickled my cheek when they moved. I closed my eyes for a minute but my solitude was interrupted by a heavy pair of footsteps that came from the direction of the front door. I turned my head slightly to look over my shoulder and I groaned. "Eric, please, I'm really not in the mood for any more of your crap tonight. I just want to put it behind me."

"That's why I am out here." He said, walking around behind me like he was pacing so I turned around and pushed myself up on the railing and looked at him. He had discarded the leather jacket he had been wearing when he arrived here and he was standing before me in his usual black tank top and black slacks. But even in those familiar articles of clothing, he still looked amazing. "It wouldn't do our situation any good if there is tension between us. So we're dropping it. Right now."

"Gee that sounded almost like an apology." I muttered, crossing my ankles over each other and wound my hair around my fingers.

"It's the closest you're getting to one, so take it while you can." He growled, sitting down on the bench against the wall and stared at me intensely, so much so that it made me nervous and I stared fidgeting anxiously. He seemed amused and smirked at me before speaking. "Do I make you nervous Allison?"

"Yea, you do actually." I told him, turning my head to stare at him full on. "I never know when you are going to freak out and throw a hissy fit over something as ridiculous …..."

"It wasn't a hissy fit and it wasn't ridiculous." Eric shot back, his eyes growing narrower the longer he looked at me. "You were kissing the shifter..."

"He kissed me! Not the other way around." I snapped, jumping down off the railing to my feet just as he flashed forward and met me in the middle of the porch. I glared up at him with my hands on my hips. "And it didn't mean anything to me. I didn't feel anything when he kissed me because I do not care about him the way he wants me to."

"You're lying." Eric grumbled, starting to turn away but I reached out and wrapped my hands around his arm to stop him and he actually paused. "What?"

"Let me make one thing clear to you." I stammered, pulling my hand away and crossing my arms over me. "I'm not going to deny that Sam and I shared a few kisses. It happened, it's done and it is over with. It's not going to happen again, because I do not want it to. And the reason I don't want it to is because I feel nothing for him. The only man I'm interested in kissing is you. Because despite your bad attitude and your tendency towards violence, I actually care for you. And it's important to me for you to know that I don't want anyone else. Sam is my friend, but you're the one that I truly want."

"Is that right?" Eric questioned, raising his eyebrows in doubt.

"Yes." I nodded and sighed heavily. " Now can we just let this go for good?"

"As long as you realize something." Eric retorted, coming towards me at lightning speed until he had grabbed me by the arms and pushed me back against the railing. His grip wasn't tight, but it was firm. "We have shared blood, and part of me is running through your veins at this very moment. Therefore you are mine. And no one else is allowed to touch you except for me. Otherwise I might have to kill them."

"Are you always this possessive?" I asked, my lips breaking into a smile and I felt a sense of ease wash over me for the first time in days.

"Only when it really matters." He smirked, his hand moving up to my face and moving my hair out of my eyes. "So you want to prove how much you want me?"

"Shut up." I said and wrapped my hands around his arms and pulled him towards me so out faces were closer together and when he was near, I pushed myself up on my toes and kissed him. His lips were even more wonderful then they had been the last time we kissed, which felt like years ago when it was really only a few days. But this made it so much more intense and better. His touch was electric and his hands seemed to be everywhere all at once which made my stomach do flip flops as we stood there kissing. His body was pressed against me and I could feel every part of him, including his lower half and that only made the rush of his kiss even more exciting...

"Sorry to break up the moment, but we need to speak to you all." An amused female voice spoke from the bottom of the porch steps and I turned my head to see Pam and Chow standing there on the front lawn with mud covering their ankles and feet.

"I...uh...I should go get Sookie and Bill." I dropped my hands from Eric's body and scooted around him until I could walk easily across the porch and over to the front door. I slipped inside and headed through the house towards the kitchen where I found Sookie and Bill sitting at the table talking. I waved them to get up and follow me. "Come on, Pam and Chow just got here."

"Did they say anything?" Sookie asked, the first to get out of her seat and follow after me.

"Not yet, they wanted to speak with us all at once." I told her, going back out the door with Sookie at my back and Bill bringing up the rear. I moved back over to the railing where Eric stood and the moment I reached his side, I felt his hand move toward the lower part of my back and stay there. I glanced up at him and thought I saw the smallest hint of a smile on his lips. "Ok, we're here."

"Pam, Chow, what did you find?" Eric commanded, his fingers dragging across my skin as he spoke.

"Nothing. We found nothing." Chow answered first with a shrug to which I saw tense up at. Pam must have saw this because she immediately took over and spoke up next.

"What he means is that we caught wind of the scent at the sight of the attack in the woods, but the demon was no where to be seen in the surrounding areas. So we tracked the scent all the way to the state line, but then it just ended." Pam explained, pressing her lips together tightly when she finished. "Do you remember what we talked about?"

"About the attack not being random? Yes I remember." Eric answered, his grip on my waist tightening. "What's your point?"

"If this demon was indeed sent to attack Allison by someone, then we should have been able to find out where it was coming from. But as we said, the scent disappeared at the state line and there was no where else to take it from there."

"So...what does that mean?" Sookie asked, putting her arm around Bill and looking at him nervously.

"It means that, whoever sent the demon has to be living out of the state..."


	15. Understanding it finally

**Chapter 15 Understanding it finally**

"Why are we here Eric? I was just in the middle of a pedicure. This better be good."

"Will you be quiet for once?" Eric snapped at his progeny as he sat behind his desk and looked at her while Bill Compton sat to the side and watched in amusement at his interaction with the female vampire who had been getting on his nerves ever since she stepped foot into his office that evening. "I was just getting to that point."

"Good, because I was starting to get bored." Pam replied, sitting back in the chair and examined her nails.

"Anyway, like I was saying, now that we know the demon was sent by someone outside of Louisiana, we can't be sure if it will come back or not. Which means we have to guard the Stackhouse home until we can kill it." Eric explained, looking towards Bill as he said this. "One of us has to be at the house every night until this thing is captured and destroyed."

"Oh this will be fun. Another babysitting mission." Pam rolled her eyes, showing her obvious annoyance at this task. "I can't wait."

"Your enthusiasm inspires me." Bill replied sarcastically, leaning forward toward the desk. "And what about the day? This demon hybrid isn't a vampire, it can still attack during the day and we won't be able to help."

"I already have that covered." Eric responded with a grimace as he thought back to what he had to reluctantly do. He hated it but he knew it was necessary to ensure the safety of the two Stackhouse girls. " I got the shifter to look out for them during the day."

"Well look who is putting aside his pride and stubbornness to ask for help." Pam taunted with a smirk that he would have loved to wipe off her face, but resisted. "You have a body guard for the day, but who takes the first shift for the rest of tonight?"

"Bill and I will be doing that." Eric said, glancing at the younger vampire for agreement and Bill nodded to show his acceptance of this duty. Eric then turned his attention back to his child and said. "You however will be tending to the tasks I set out for you to do. Find out as much as you can about this demon and what we can do to get rid of it."

"Ah I knew I wouldn't be getting the night off." Pam huffed and got to her feet to leave the office but Eric called out to her before she was gone.

"Oh Pam." He watched in amusement as she turned with a growl on her face. "Make sure you do your research thoroughly. All parts of it. Understand?"

"Absolutely boss." Pam agreed, waving her hand in the air and disappeared out the door without another look backwards.

"You sure you can trust her to do this?" Bill questioned, sounding doubtful as he sat back and clasped his hands around his knees. "I mean, she's not exactly taking this seriously."

"She may be sarcastic and lazy, but she always does what I tell her and she's loyal as hell." Eric stated, defending his progeny in the same way that his own maker would have done for him. "She will get this done. I have no doubt about that."

"Alright, if you're sure then I'm sure." Bill replied confidently, running his hand through his disheveled hair. "Do you expect the demon to show up again?"

"I don't think any time soon, but we can't be too sure." Eric shrugged, reaching out and tapping his fingers on the top of the desk. "Which is why we should get back over there right now."

"Look, now that we are on the same page, I think it's best if we agree to put our differences behind us and start fresh. At least just for the sake of Sookie and Allison." Bill said, extending his over the desk. "I still can't stand you, but I'm willing to establish trust if you are."

"You're annoying as hell." Eric scoffed, smirking when a frown came over Bill's face but he accepted his handshake nonetheless. "But we officially have each others back."

"Thanks jackass."

"You're welcome pussy."

* * *

**The next day**

"You do realize that Sam has come by here for the 4th time today?" Allison said with a frown as she stood by the window and watched as he walked back to his truck and drove away from the house in a cloud of dust. She turned away from the window and crossed her arms. "I can't remember a time when he ever came over that much. Not even when Gran died. So what's the story with today?"

"You know Sam, he's probably just feeling the need to be all protective after what happened." Sookie answered back, motioning for her cousin to come sit down next to her. "Don't read too much into it."

"Yea you're probably right." Allison replied, pressing her lips together and crossing the room to the sofa and sat down with her thin legs curled underneath her. "Ok, so where were we again?"

"We were trying to practice using our powers on those two vases over there." Sookie reminded her, pointing to the coffee table where they were sitting. "Remember, slow and steady."

"Right." Allie nodded, turning her attention to the vase in front of her and stuck her hand out just as Sookie was doing and at nearly the same time, the white light emitted from both of them and the two vases began to wiggle and rise off the table. Sookie grinned when she was able to channel her energy to make her glass move 2 feet above the table without so much as a jolt. Her cousin however, didn't have the same result. Although she mimicked Sookie's exact movements and speed, the moment Allison moved her fingers, the vase shot straight up in the air like a toy rocket and shattered on the ceiling of the living room and showered the floor and them with chunks of porcelain.

"Oops." Sookie said when they came out from hiding under theirs arms and looked around at the destruction. "Maybe practicing with glass inside the house was a bad idea."

"I didn't mean to do that." Allison sighed, standing up to go into the corner and grab the broom and dustpan. "I tried to harness it but it didn't quite work out that way."

"Obviously not." Sookie agreed, scratching her head and started picking up the pieces of porcelain that were embedded in the cushions of the sofa. She wouldn't admit it to her cousin, but she was surprised by Allison's show of power. She understood that getting use to powers like theirs was going to take time, but Sookie couldn't remember herself ever doing something like that. It was like an explosion of strength happened the moment she twitched her fingers. Very strange. There had to be a reason for that, but she shook those thoughts away and focused on the present. "So...are you glad to be going to Fangtasia tonight?"

"Kind of." Allison admitted as she swept the broom over the wooden floor and leaned down to move the broken fragments into the dustpans. "I mean, it will be good to get out of the house and I'm always glad to be around Eric..."

"Gross." Sookie made a face at the statement.

"But...Eric said that if I go tonight, then he is going to want me to stay at his side out on the floor so there is no chance at all that I will get in trouble." Allison continued to explain, flicking a loose strand of hair over her shoulder. "And that's just going to be weird."

"Why?" Sookie wanted to know, seeing the apprehensive look on her cousin's face.

"I just don't feel like that's my place." Allison shrugged, taking the dustpan and headed towards the kitchen to dispose of it. "It's going to sound stupid, but Eric is this handsome and strong vampire and he could have anyone he wants at his side. Someone tall and beautiful..."

"But you are beautiful, Allison." Sookie protested, dropping the broken pieces in the trash. "You have to know that. Everyone has always told you that you are gorgeous."

"I guess so." The brunette replied, sounding doubtful. "It's just that I'm not the usual type that Eric goes for. And it kind of makes me doubt myself. So what the hell is he doing with me?"

"Don't sell yourself short, any man would be lucky to have you." Sookie assured her cousin, reaching out to hug her. "Trust me when I say this. You are sweet and nice and beautiful, inside and out. So don't ever say anything differently."

"Thanks. I needed that." Allison admitted with a small smile. "I'm just being insecure today."

"I have those days too. Nothing to be ashamed of." Sookie replied and they wrapped their arms around each other and walked out of the room in unison steps.

* * *

**Later that night**

"This was such a bad idea." I muttered to myself as I tried to shrink back in my seat where I sat next to Eric, and yanked down the hem of the black, one shoulder dress I had worn that night. "I should have changed."

"Oh no you shouldn't have. You look absolutely delicious." Eric whispered, leaning over to speak into my ear and push my hair over my shoulder. "Look around, everyone wants you."

"Yea that's the problem. Every vampire in this bar is looking at me like I could be their favorite new meal." I shot back, looking into Eric's amused face and shook my head. "This isn't funny."

"I would have thought this would make you feel good about yourself." Eric pointed out, his hand covering my wrist as if to announce to the bar that I was his and no one was to come anywhere near me. "Don't you humans want everyone to stare at you and make you feel wanted?"

"I hate the attention. I don't like the stares I'm getting. I'm not used to it. Maybe you are, but I'm not." I told him, turning my head when I caught sight of two raven haired vampires sending flirtatious glances my way. I shivered and turned back to Eric. "I should have stayed at home. Why did you insist I come here tonight?"

"I have a business to run in addition to watching out for you." Eric smirked, twirling a piece of my long hair between his fingers. "Besides, wouldn't you rather be here with me then at home?"

"Maybe I do want to be at home where I'm not getting stared at constantly." I shot back, raising my eyebrows at him. "Did you ever think about that?"

"No. Not really." He sneered, his breath tickling my cheek and I giggled slightly. Eric pressed his perfect lips together. "Ah, so you finally crack a smile."

"Only for you." I smirked, sitting back and recrossing my legs for what seemed like the ten millionth time that night. "Gosh, even the humans in this place are thinking disgusting things about me."

"Really?" Eric immediately perked up and he glanced around the room at the crowds. "What are you hearing? Anything good?"

"See that couple over there? The ones sitting in the booth against the far wall?" I pointed across the room at a blonde man and a red-haired girl who kept on looking over at me out of the corner of their eyes. "They are wondering what they can possibly say to get me to agree to have sex with the guy in front of his girlfriend. Apparently she gets off on watching him sleep with other women."

"Interesting." Eric murmured, an amused grin threatening to take over his face. "What else?"

"That guy standing by the bar in the suit is thinking he would like to dress me up in a mouse suit and chase me around the bedroom with a block of cheese before having sex. That's his idea of foreplay." I shuddered with unreleased laughter as I relayed that to Eric.

"Ok, weird." He scrunched up his perfect face in disgust.

"And that group of guys standing by the door are wondering if I would agree to engage in group sex with all of them." I nodded over to a cluster of 3 or 4 guys who looked to be about in their mid twenties and were eying me up interest. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "If the humans are thinking these horrible things, then I am scared of what the vampires are thinking."

"Oh our thoughts are much worse." Eric teased, his hand moving down to the skin above my knee, his touch sending shivers down my spine. "Good thing you can't read our minds."

"If only I could..."

* * *

**Pam's P.O.V.**

"Hmmmm. It's about time I found out some interesting information." Pam murmured, running her ink stained hands through her hair and dropping the pen she had been writing with on the desk and pushed away from the computer with her feet. "Eric better be grateful with what I found out."

When her maker had assigned her the task of researching ways to kill demon hybrids, she figured it would be fairly easy. She would fiddle around on the computer, get the information he was searching for and deliver it to him within an hour or two and then she would have the rest of the evening to herself. But it hadn't been quite as simple as that. She had come across libraries of books online that had a lot of information on the history of demons and where they originated from and some even had articles on ways that supposedly destroyed them. It was a lot to get through and even when she narrowed it down, there was very little information left on how to kill them. And what little there was, it was mostly related to killing full fledged demons and being that this was a demon/witch hybrid, it was a lot harder to find what she was looking for. She had to look up information on witches and what killed them, just to get familiar with it. And it was only after 4 hours that she finally was able to get the info that she needed. Apparently demon/ witch hybrids were just as rare as Eric said they were and it was even more rare to know how to kill them. But she did find out and it wasn't as ridiculous as she was thinking it would be, it was just a matter of combining the killing tactics for the two species it was made of. All that had to be done was to stab the damn thing in the heart with a pure silver knife to kill the demon side of it and then the body had to be set on fire and that took care of the witch part. Now it was only a matter of trying to trap it long enough to do that. And that was going to be the nearly impossible part. Eric and Bill had both said it could disappear and reappear instantly, so how were they supposed to get a hold of it.

"Oh well, not my problem." She snickered, rubbing at the ink covering her fingers and glared at them. This was going to take forever to get off. She gave up and settled her arms on the desk top to look back at the computer. "Now it is just time to wait for that special e-mail about Eric's little mystery mission."

She had to roll her eyes when Eric had talked to her in private about the second task he wanted her to do. It was a smaller and less complicated thing to get done, all she had to do was glamor humans into giving her the information she wanted and that was pretty much that. All she had to wait on was an e-mail sending her copies of the things she had requested and then she was officially done for the night. Eric had been more adamant about this mission getting done, almost more then he was about the whole demon thing. And it wasn't really surprising considering it had to do with Allison. Eric was beginning to get obsessed with that girl and was desperate to know what was so different about her. He had made it a point that she do all she could to find out the answer and make sure no one knew what she was trying to figure out. That's why he hadn't mentioned it directly in the office when they were in front of Bill the other night, Eric didn't want the other vampire to know what was going on. At least not yet.

"Well look what finally arrived." Pam stated with a glare as she moved the mouse and clicked on the files that had been attached to the e-mail. She read through both documents,scanning them for every microscopic detail until she came across something that made her sit back in surprise.

"Well..I wasn't expecting that."

* * *

**Back at Fangtasia**

"What are you thinking about?" Allison asked, leaning closer to him and he got a whiff of her delicious scent and it took all he had not to bend his head down and bite her on the neck. She had been sitting in silence next to him for the last 30 minutes with her hand on his arm and her focus turned to observing the crowd. He liked that about her, how she didn't feel the need to constantly talk all the time just to fill the quietness between them. But she must have gotten curious about what was going on inside of his head since she had asked.

"Just how much I would love to throw you on the floor right now and ravish you." He told her without blinking and took great delight in when she started blushing at his comment.

"Is that all you vampire ever think about?" She asked, fanning her face with her hands and puled all her long silky dark hair over her should and in doing so, showed off her neck even more to his hungry eyes.

"Most of the time." He wiggled his brows at her and ran his fingers over the skin on her shoulder. She was soft to his touch and that never changed. He could never get tired of touching her. Although there were other things he wished he could be doing to her right now. But that would all come in due time.

"Figures." She answered back with a shrug and then nodded across the room. "I'm going to go to the bar and get a drink. You want anything?"

"Are you offering to let me feed from you?" He asked, wondering what she would say to that. He got his answer when her mouth dropped open wide. "It would only be a fair trade, considering I let you drink from me twice now."

"Those were different circumstances, I was dying. But you're not, so sorry." She shook her head as she stood up and carefully made her way down the few steps to the main floor. He watched her dart between people and zig zag to avoid some of the humans she had pointed out to him earlier until she got up to the bar counter and jumped up a stool to wait to be attended to.

Eric took this moment to stare at her now that her back was to him and it struck him that he had never truly observed a human girl like he was doing with Allison. He took in every detail about her, from the way her hair fell over her shoulders and the way her back curved seductively when she was sitting, right down to how she looked so tiny and delicate in that little black dress she was wearing. She was exquisite, there was no doubt about that, but it was something more then her looks that made her stand out to him. Perhaps it was the reason why every vampire in his establishment was looking at her hungrily. She had fairy blood in her no doubt, she was related to Sookie after all. But it was so much more then just her magical blood that called out to every vampire in the room. He was drawn to her in ways that made him truly uncomfortable with himself. He found that he spent more time in his own head thinking about her then he did with any human that had come before her. He was acting out in fits of jealous rage whenever another being showed an interest, case in point, his altercation with the shifter Sam Merlotte. He had nearly been driven to the brink when he had seen them kiss and if it wasn't for her blasting him across the yard, then he surely would have killed the shifter right then and there. That wasn't him, he never got so involved with a human girl that he behaved as if he was actually still human. He detested humans and the fact that they took up space on this planet and he had no problem pointing out their faults and their over reactions to situations. But now he was acting just like one of them. It made him not able to recognize himself. That was a very bad thing. He couldn't change and forget who he was. He was Eric Northman and the Sheriff of Area 5, and he had grown accustomed to how he went about his life. It was the way he had done things for the past 1,000 years and it was going to be the way he continued to do things.

But when he focused his attention back on her, he saw that she was now sitting facing him with a drink in her hand. She met his eyes and a smile uncurled across her face and she looked visibly happier and it made something stir inside of him and he sat there with his chin in his hand and looked at her. It was strange for him to even think this, but it just struck him how he hadn't had a woman look at him like that in a very very long time.

* * *

**At the end of the night**

"Why are you so quiet?" Eric asked me as we sat side by side in his car and drove through the quiet streets of Shreveport back to Bon Temps. It was extremely late, or technically extremely early, considering it was almost 4 a.m. It had been a long night and I was ready to go home to my own bed and combine that with what I had been thinking about for the past couple of hours, I had been silent ever since he had started to drive. At first Eric didn't seem to mind, but he had obviously grown curious when I had barely made a peep in the confinement of the car.

"No reason." I replied, leaning back in the seat and adjusted the seat belt so it didn't cut into my neck. I crossed my legs, which turned out to be harder to do in this small car, but I managed it and sighed under my breath, which he picked up on.

"You're thinking hard about something. I can tell." Eric pointed out, glancing at me with a frown. "You're worried about the demon again aren't you? I told you we were going to take care of it."

"That's not it." I shook my head, glad that it was dark out and he couldn't see my face. I combed my hands through my hair and stared through the windshield at the road ahead.

"Then what is it?" Eric wanted to know, his voice filling with frustration and I could see his hands start to tighten over the wheel.

"It's not anything big, but I was just wondering..." I trailed off, trying to figure the best way to bring this up. It was a natural curiosity to wonder about him, but I don't know how he would take it if I mentioned it. But he was getting annoyed when I didn't say anything so I just decided to talk. "How come you never tell me anything about yourself?"

"There isn't anything to tell." He answered, not looking at me when he spoke, but I could visibly see his knuckles growing tighter again.

"There's always something to tell." I countered, tugging on my hair to give myself something to do. "I mean, you never talk about yourself."

"Maybe I don't want to." Eric growled, the car lurching forward as he hit the accelerator. "So change the subject."

"I can't change the subject. You were the one who asked me what I was thinking and that was it." I protested, turning my head to look at him and even though he was still staring straight ahead, his jaw was visibly tense and tight. He didn't like what I had said but it was already out there so I might as well keep on going. "I don't expect you to open up and tell me all this deep dark stuff, but you don't even talk about the basics. Like what you were like when you were human..."

"Stop it." He told me, his voice going cold.

"...or how your first years were like when you became a vampire..."

"Enough." Eric's tone had grown dark in the blink of an eye.

"...I've never had Sookie tell me about what she knows. I know she knew things like about your maker..."

"Do not go there." Eric was speeding now, dangerously swerving around the other cars on the road.

"I just want to know about you..."

"I SAID ENOUGH!" Eric boomed, yanking the wheel tightly to the right and pulling off the road into a gravel space on the shoulder before he put the car in park and grabbed me by the shoulders painfully. I didn't even get a chance to cry out in shock before his face was practically on mine. "Do not go questioning me about my past. It will just anger me and you will not like what happens when I get like that. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I squeaked, nodding my head before he released me back into my seat and I fell silent. He grabbed hold of the wheel again and put it back in drive and then we were off on the road. I looked at him as we made our way down the street and tried to ease the tension. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I don't get upset." He hissed at me, his voice getting dark once more. "Do not say anything more for the rest of this drive."

"Ok." And I didn't say another word to him for the rest of the drive back to Bon Temps.

**

* * *

**

**20 minutes later**

"I guess your night didn't end the way you wanted." Pam laughed as he joined her out on the edge of the Stackhouse property and turned to keep watch on the house. He ignored her sideways comment and stood there in the treeline with his arms crossed and a glare on his face.

"You do not want to anger me right now. I'm already in a bad mood." He shot back at his child, his attitude not having an effect on how she looked at him.

"You're always in a bad mood, so that's nothing new." She sneered, sticking her hands in her back pockets and glanced at him. "Would it be weird if I asked if you needed to talk about it?"

"Don't even go there." He warned, rolling his so wildly that could have kept on going and rolled right on out of his head.

"Fair enough." She agreed, looking over at the house to where he was looking at the second story window where a light was on in a bedroom that he knew was Allison's. Pam didn't say anything about this and instead changed the subject. "So I have good news to share."

"I could use some of that." Eric groaned, rubbing his hands over his face. "What did you find out?"

"Just what you asked, how to kill the demon." She stated, looking behind her and sitting down on a stump and crossed her legs. "Apparently it wasn't as hard as we thought. We simply combine the killing tactics for both sides of the creature and then it's gone."

"So how exactly do we do it?" He questioned, his attention now on his progeny and feeling slightly proud that she had done what he asked of her. That hardly ever happened.

"Well, we find a pure silver knife and stab it in the chest, kills the demon part. And then we set it on fire to burn the body down to ash, that kills the witch side." Pam explained, tossing her hair behind her. "See? Nothing to worry about."

"Yea, except we need to find out how to trap it long enough to kill it." Eric replied sarcastically, kicking at the ground. "But I guess we will figure that out."

"We just need the element of surprise, that's all." Pam suggested positively. "Catch it off guard and stab it. It will be a piece of cake."

"You sound disgustingly upbeat. And it's really annoying." Eric stated, frowning at his child's uncharacteristic mood change. It was like she was trying to mask some terrible piece of information by sounding like someone else. "What's going on?"

"Well, I didn't just succeed at my research on the demon." Pam admitted, clenching her teeth. "That mission you wanted me to solve about Allison. Well, I solved it."

"You did?" Eric was shocked, he was so sure that would be the one thing she couldn't find out. But here she was saying she knew the answers. That was beyond exciting for him. Now he could finally understand what was so different about her. "So what is it?"

"You should probably sit down for this." Pam advised him, motion to the log across from her. "Trust me, you want to be sitting when I tell you about this."

"You sound serious." Eric commented with a raised eyebrow. "I've never heard you sound so serious."

"Well, this situation calls for it." Pam stammered, placing her hands on her knees. "Ok, do you remember telling me that you knew there was just something so different about Allison that you couldn't put your finger on?"

"Yea."

"There's a couple of reasons for that. And I'm going to explain it all but you can't interrupt me." Pam ordered, her tone heavy with warning as she looked at him. "Promise?"

"Yes yes, I promise." Eric nodded, waving his hand around. "Go on."

"Alright, here it goes." Pam steadied herself before she started speaking. And the words that came out of her mouth was not what he was expecting at all. "I know you hate when I bring this up, but when Allison over powered you the other night, there was a reason for that. Just like there is a reason why she seems to be so much stronger then Sookie is, and it's not just a coincidence. I got a hold of the Stackhouse family tree and a copy of Allison's birth certificate and all the papers at the time of her birth. And..."

"And...what?" Eric demanded, forgetting his promise to keep quiet.

"It turns out, that the Stackhouses aren't Allison's birth parents. She was adopted by them when she was just a baby and they kept it a secret for her whole life. She and Sookie aren't related at all."

"Holy shit." Eric muttered, his voice frozen in his throat. " She's adopted? But her and Sookie have the same..."

"That's the coincidence, that they both are telepathic. But that's not all." Pam told him, watching him intently as she explained all of this.

"There's more?" Eric was stunned, which didn't happen very often.

"Even though Allison is not from the Stackhouse bloodline, she still has fairy blood in her. But here is the real kick. She is more fairy then Sookie is. Way more. That's why she feels so different to you. That's what you couldn't figure out." Pam finished, crossing her arms over her chest and glanced at him in concern. "Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"No I certainly did not..."


	16. Not right now

**Chapter 16 Not right now**

"No No No. I won't do that!" Sookie shook her head and crossed her arms stubbornly as she sat before him and Bill and looked at the two of them with a glare that ended all glares. "Do not ask me to do that because I will not!"

Eric sighed and closed his eyes, trying to find a balance in the situation that he was in right now. He should have expected this reaction from Sookie when he gathered her and Bill outside the house tonight when Allison was upstairs asleep. But he wasn't prepared for what had come before it when he sat them down and told them the truth about what Pam had found out about Allison. To say that Sookie was devastated was an understatement. She fell apart just like humans did in any kind of life upheaval moment. She dropped to the ground and started balling her eyes out when he told her full on that Allison was not her cousin and that the younger girl had been adopted by her aunt and uncle when she was a baby. At first Eric was certain that neither her or Bill would believe him, but they must have, judging by her reaction. She cried quietly at their feet for so long that Eric had to turn away in disgust, he hated it when humans cried. But Bill kneeled down and put his arms around the blonde in an attempt to comfort her and only after he whispered soothing words to her, did she finally stop her tears. She then had looked up at Bill and asked him if he had known this, and he told her he didn't. Then the two of them looked to him, and Sookie asked him to tell her everything he knew. And so he did. He relayed everything Pam had discovered back to Sookie and Bill, about her adoption papers, her different family tree, her stronger blood, everything and anything was put out there for Sookie to take in and when he was finished, Sookie fell silent while he and Bill had discussed the situation. But she became quite vocal when the conversation had turned to the matter of keeping it between them and she had outright refused to go along with his plan.

"Bill, you knock some sense into her, because I cannot." Eric threw up his hands, looking down at the blonde who narrowed her eyes at him. "She is being unreasonable."

"Don't you think you are the one being unreasonable?" Bill shot back, standing beside Sookie protectively. "Because I have to say that I agree with her.

"Of course you do." Eric grumbled, rolling his eyes at their loyalty to one another. They were so disgustingly attached to each other that it made him sick. He couldn't understand being that drawn to a human. It baffled him. He looked at Bill and crossed his arms. "You're not seeing the bigger picture here."

"Actually that would be you, because once again, you haven't thought this through." Sookie snapped, jumping to her feet. "Don't you think it will be a little hard for me to keep all of this to myself when both Allison and I share the same gift? You don't think she won't find out? She can read minds you stupid idiot."

"She had a point Eric." Bill pointed out, standing between the two of them. "Don't you think it will be damaging if she finds out through mind reading rather then telling her straight out?"

"Wouldn't it be more damaging if she found all this out while she is currently being hunted by a demon?" Eric shot back in their faces. Sookie's mouth fell open in surprise as if she were suddenly struck with that realization. "She already has too much to deal with. If we are to tell her this now, her mind is not going to be focused for a long time and we need her to be at her best. She was already caught by surprise once, we don't need that to happen again."

"So we do...nothing?" Sookie asked, the anger disappearing from her face and being taken over by a weary, sad look. "We just keep her in the dark?"

"For the moment we do." Eric stated, looking her with a shrug. "She will know. But not right now."

"Is that even realistic Eric?" Bill demanded, his stance easing up and the tension leaving his body. "As Sookie said..."

"You will have to keep your bond with her closed." Eric ordered, turning his attention back to the older Stackhouse girl. "Keep a wall up in your head at all times, do not let her read your mind."

"That might be easy, she and I have agreed to never read each others minds unless it was important or we couldn't keep up a block. So she won't do it willingly, unless she thinks something is wrong." Sookie explained, pressing her hands together. "So I have to keep her out all the time?"

"It's for the best." Eric told her, watching her face crumble and he wondered if she would start crying again.

"Do you have any plans to tell her the truth?" Bill questioned, his face showing his obvious doubt in the decisions they had made.

"Or do you just want to string her along like you tend to do?" Sookie snapped furiously. "Because if that is what you are going to do then I will not go along with this. I will go tell her right now if I have to."

"Your compassion is amusing to me." Eric heckled, looking towards the house and to the second floor where he knew which window lead to Allison's room. "But she will be told the truth. And I will be the one to do it myself."

"Really?" Sookie asked, her eyebrows raised as she spoke.

"Yes, really." Eric sneered, annoyed that the two of them had no faith in his abilities to remedy the situation. "As soon as the demon is killed and no more of a threat to her, then I will her. And it will better when she doesn't have to worry or fear for her life. It will give her time to deal with it."

"That sounds almost thoughtful, Eric." Bill commented, a smirk appearing on his lips. "What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all..."

* * *

**The next day at Merlotte's**

"Wow, it feels like forever since I was last here." I murmured to myself as I stepped through the doorway of the bar and looked around at the room I hadn't set foot in since my firing. But I didn't hold any ill feelings at this point. That was in the past and at the moment, I had other things to worry about and Sam wasn't one of them. I had come here merely to get out of the house. I had been cooped up in there ever since the demon attack and I was ready to pull my hair out. I needed to be around other people and when Sookie got called in to work her morning shift, I decided to tag along. She had to rush off to the back to drop her things off and had left me alone in the nearly empty room to fend for myself. And I knew it wouldn't be long before someone came up to me.

"Hookah, where the hell you've been." Lafayette's singing voice called out to me from the open hanger in the wall to the kitchen and I turned with a smile to see his face watching me curiously. I walked across the floor, taking notice that Sam was no where in sight and over to the window where Lafayette was leaning out of. "Baby, you look so much like your old self again. That train wreck look you were sporting the last time I saw you was so not right."

"Thanks...I think." I stated with a smile and motioned to the rest of my body with my hand. "The wonders of drinking vampire blood never fails."

"You did it again? And got away with it?" Lafayette asked, sounding almost jealous.

"It wasn't really a matter of getting away with it, he offered it to me and I took it. So it's not like I was stealing it from anyone." I explained, throwing my hair back behind my shoulders. "Besides, if I hadn't taken it, I would have been practically bed ridden for another 3 weeks until I healed."

"Drinking from Eric Northman, damn girl I am jealous." He told me with a silly grin that suggested he too had fantasized about the blonde viking. He leaned closer to me and whispered. "So...is he as good in bed as he looks?"

"I wouldn't know." I admitted, blushing furiously as the thought entered my head. "I haven't slept with him."

"Maybe not yet. But you will." Lafayette said knowingly. "It's only a matter of time before you get a piece of that old world loving he is probably offering you. Think about it, alone in a room with him while he has his hands all over your body and his mouth..."

"Lafayette, I'm paying you to cook, not have a gab fest." Sam's voice exclaimed from across the bar and both Lafayette and I turned to see him coming around the corner from the back with a box of beer in his arms. His eyes landed on me and I could have sworn I saw a flicker of something there. "Allie, when did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago. I came in with Sookie." I told him, stepping back from the hanger to look at my former boss. I waved to Lafayette and went back to the stove and walked towards Sam. "I was actually hoping we could talk, if you have a minute."

"Yea of course." Sam nodded, waving for me to follow him. "Come with me to my office and we'll talk."

"Thanks." I said with a smile and walked after him across the wooden floor. "I just haven't had a chance to really speak with you since the attack. And there really hasn't been a good opportunity to talk with how hard you've been working at watching over Sookie and I."

"It's not that big a deal. I was happy to do it." Sam assured me, glancing over his shoulder. "Besides, what was I going to do? Sit back and wait to hear that you were attacked again without trying to do something to help?"

"It's just very brave of you to put yourself in the middle of all this. Especially considering what almost happened the last time there was trouble." I hesitantly mumbled, remembering how Eric had almost ended Sam's life.

"No worries, I had the situation under control." He joked, opening the door to his office and let me enter first before he shut it behind him. He walked over to his desk and sat down while I took a seat in the other chair across from him. He sat back with his hands on his knees and looked at me. "So what was it that you wanted to talk about?"

"Us." I replied simply, watching how Sam immediately perked up at what I said. "I figured it was time we got done to sorting out this whole issue."

"There's an issue?" Sam frowned, his forehead wrinkling slightly. "Well I wasn't aware of that."

"I guess it's not really an issue as much as it is a statement." I muttered, looking down and twisting my hair around my fingers. "I don't know how to say this exactly but the kiss is kind of why I am here."

"Hoping for another round?" He asked with a smirk.

"Be serious." I begged, brushing off his comment and looked at him with a frown. "I need to get this out now or I might not ever do it."

"Ok, you have my attention." Sam sat forward with his arms on his knees and stared at me with his big blue eyes."Go ahead."

"I'm not sure what to think about you kissing me. I never thought about it before, but it has happened twice and now I am beyond confused. I can't even think straight because I'm trying to figure out what it is supposed to mean. Especially considering that you never once showed an interest in me like that before..."

"But now I …..."

"Don't speak. Please." I told him, holding up my hand to silence him. "I know you want to talk about it and explore it, but I can't do that. I have too many other things on my mind at the moment. With Eric and this whole demon thing going on, I can't even deal with what our kisses meant. When this is all over, then maybe I might be ready to sit down and really talk about it. But not right now. It's too much."

"I understand. I really do." Sam retorted with an easy smile, sitting back in his swivel chair with his hands behind his head. "And just so you have a piece of mind, I don't even know why I did it. So there is no reason for things to be awkward between us."

"That's good to know." I laughed and sighed heavily. "I so do not need any more crap clogging my mind then there already is."

"I understand completely. Consider the matter dropped." Sam finished waving his hands to demonstrate his point. He stood up and ran his hands through his hair. "So what are you doing for the next couple of hours?"

"I was actually hoping that I could hang out here." I told him, praying that he would say yes. "I mean, I don't really want to be at home and I don't go to work till night time. And since you are my body guard for the time being, I was thinking I just stick around. If that's ok."

"Sure, if that's what you want to do, then by all means stay." Sam agreed, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "If you want to earn some extra cash, you could even work the floor for a few hours. I have an extra uniform around here somewhere."

"Really?" My smile got bigger when his statement hit me and I jumped across his office to hug him. "Thank you Sam. That would be great."

"Anytime..."

* * *

**3 hours later**

"Sam? Are you alright?" Sookie asked her boss when she stuck her head inside his office and found him slumped over at his desk and staring at his computer with a faraway look on his face. He had been hiding in here for a few hours and she suspected it had to do with Allison spending some time working out on the floor. Her cousin had told her about the talk with Sam and how he offered her some work and Sookie saw how happy it made her, so she didn't question it. But after the first 60 minutes, Sam had retreated to the back and hadn't shown his face since and she was starting to get worried. She entered the room when he didn't speak and shut the door behind her before walking over to him and placing her hand on his shoulder. "Sam? Are you in there?"

"Yea sorry." He came to, shaking his head as if he had just woken up and he turned his head to look at her. "I was just lost in my own mind for a while."

"Not for a while, for 2 hours." Sookie pointed out, sitting down in a spare chair. "What's going on? Is it because Allie is working here for the day? If it bothers you, then you shouldn't have asked her to stay."

"It's not really that. I like having her here. It almost makes up for me firing her." He replied, his hands clasped to his knees. "No, it's just about a conversation she and I had."

"What did you guys talk about?" Sookie asked curiously, noting that Sam's eyes held an unfamiliar emotion.

"She wanted to let me know that with everything going on with the demon and Eric, that she couldn't really deal with thinking about our kiss and I told her that I understood and I didn't really know why I did it." Sam explained, twisting his hands around each other. "I didn't want things to be harder for her then they already are. Did I do the right thing?"

"Oh you most definitely did." Sookie muttered under her breath, thinking briefly about what she was trying to keep secret and as soon as it flashed through her head, she blocked it out and focused on Sam. "It was for the best."

"I lied though." Sam admitted, looking at her sheepishly. "I told her I didn't know what it meant. But it was lie. I think I do know what it means, and it just took me a while to realize and be comfortable with it."

"You're attracted to her aren't you?" Sookie asked, sitting back and watching Sam fidget uneasily and knew she had nailed it on the head. "Are you going to do anything about it?"

"Not now. Her focus needs to be on keeping herself safe and that's all that matters at this point." Sam said, scratching his head as he spoke. "My feelings will have to take a backseat."

"Aww, you really do like her." Sookie gushed, laughing when Sam's normally calm face blushed a deep shade of red. "That's so sweet."

"It would be sweet. If she felt the same way." Sam groaned, rubbing his eyes. "I just don't know what to think."

"Well, here is my advice." Sookie stated, grabbing him by the shoulders. "If you do decide to do something about it, just think before you act. It's kind of a delicate situation at the moment."

"Trust me, I know." Sam agreed, breathing heavily and shook his head. "Does she really like that vampire?"

"I don't know. I don't really like to ask about Eric." Sookie replied with a grimace. It was true. She hated hearing any kind of detail involving Eric and Allison. "But she must have some kind of feelings towards him if she keeps going to see him."

"Yea, that's what I figured..."

* * *

**Later that night**

"Eric asked you to do what?" I demanded of Bill, standing across from him in the living room with my arms crossed and a glare on my face. Bill had come by not too long ago to keep watch over the house and I assumed he would be accompanying me to Fangtasia in a few minutes. But when he walked into the room, he had this look on his face that said I wasn't going to like what he had to say and I really didn't. Apparently Eric had given him orders to keep me at the house for the night. Eric didn't want me going any where and he certainly didn't want me to come to work so Bill was told to take the duty of being bodyguard for the night. And he had just relayed this to me and I wasn't thrilled. "Why is this necessary? I'm just as safe at Fangtasia as I am here. If anything, I am more protected with all the vampires around."

"Eric thinks it's the smartest thing to just stay put." Bill explained, grimacing in disgust like he always did when he spoke about Eric. "He and Pam are putting their heads together to come up with a plan to trap the demon and he doesn't want you to be a distraction."

"I'm a distraction to Eric?" I asked, a smile uncurling it's way across my lips and I felt giddy just thinking about how I was able to pull away Eric's focus enough to have him order that I be kept away. It was strangely euphoric. "I like the sound of that."

"That's so gross." Sookie commented, shaking her head when she entered the room with a tray of ice tea and a bottle of true blood for Bill. She sent a look at her fiancee and rolled her eyes. "You just had to say that to her didn't you?"

"It's just what Eric said I had to do." Bill protested, accepting the blood from her and planted a kiss on her lips. "You know I do what I am told."

"Not always." She smirked, patting his cheek with her hand and gave me a glass before sitting down next to Bill. "So Allie is on lock-down tonight?"

"I wouldn't call it lock-down exactly. I'm just not allowed to leave my own house." I scoffed, taking a sip of tea and enjoying the coolness that went down my throat. "No, it is not like lock-down at all."

"I'm sure it's just because he has your best interests at heart." Bill tried to say, but I just shook my head.

"Eric would never be that considerate of anyone." I pointed out to them and they both laughed. "But I guess I should just go along with it, right?"

"It would make my job easier." Bill agreed, putting his arm around Sookie. "I wouldn't have to go chasing after you if you tried to escape."

"Fine then." I threw my hands up in mock surrender. "I will stay here like a good little girl so no one will get in trouble."

"That's the spirit." Sookie cheered, leaning over to clink her glass against mine and Bill mimicked her motions. "And now that we are all here for the night, we can start by talking about something really important."

"Which is what?" I asked, seeing the excited expression in her eyes and that could only mean one thing. I groaned and covered my eyes. "Not the wedding again. Come on Sookie..."

"What? There is nothing wrong with planning ahead and getting everything in order before that law is passed which will be any time now." Sookie announced to us, reaching over to the side table and grabbing a note pad and a pen. "So, to pick up where we left off the last time..."

* * *

**At Fangtasia**

"No No No. That's not going to work."

"For Christ sakes Eric. You've shot down every idea that we have come up with so far." Pam groaned, throwing herself down on the couch in his office and laying her pale arm over her face. "We can't afford to be picky. We have to nail down a plan of attack and put it into action."

"You don't think I know that?" He hissed, whipping his head in her direction as he continued to pace across the floor. "I know we need a game plan. But your last idea was absolutely barbaric."

"I merely suggested that we leave Allison out in the middle of nowhere to draw the demon out of hiding and then kill it." Pam retorted, ignoring the glares he was sending at her. "And you took it personally."

"Use her as bait is what you meant to say." He growled, turning away from his progeny and stomped back over to his desk where he sat down. "And what would happen if it killed her before we could kill it?"

"She wouldn't die. She might be roughed up a bit, but she wouldn't be dead." Pam rolled her eyes, dropping her arm to her side. "And we would be waiting in the background to move in on it."

"It's too risky. We need something else." Eric told her, still annoyed that Pam would suggest such a thing. "There has to be another way to capture this damn thing."

"Well I don't hear you coming up with anything brilliant." Pam shot back, swinging her legs to the floor and she sat back up gripping the couch. "I don't get it. When did you get so attached to one little human?"

"I'm not attached." Eric denied, but even to him that felt like the biggest lie he had ever told. He had too much pride to admit that he was drawn to her, but he knew he was. He just was confused as to why. And that pissed him off because he never got confused. "I'm not."

"I think you're trying to convince yourself rather then me." Pam pointed out and then shrugged. "But whatever, it's your problem not mine. We have to focus on the matter at hand."

"There has to be another way to finding this thing. It can't be that hard." Eric murmured, putting thoughts of his feelings for Allison out of his head for the time being. "Maybe we should try tracking it out of state. You know, find out where it is coming from."

"That will take forever, and we don't have that much time. This demon could strike again and we need to be ready." Pam replied, biting on one of her fingernails. "Besides, even if we did track it, it could lead us all over the country on some wild goose chase and we would never find out where it originated from."

"But at least that would be doing something instead of just sitting here and arguing." Eric snapped, his frustration growing with each passing second. He pointed towards the door. "Get out of here. You're annoying me."

"And you need to get some."His child heckled, passing him by with a shake of her head as she went out the door.

**

* * *

**

**Back in Bon Temps**

"What's wrong?" Bill asked as he walked into kitchen just as she hung up the phone.

"That was Sam, he was calling to ask if I would come in for the evening shift since Arlene called out." Sookie explained, biting her lip as she put down the phone on the table.

"So what's the problem? You're not the one who is under orders to stay in the house." Bill told her, taking a seat next to her. "You should go to work. I'll watch over Allison."

"It just doesn't feel right to leave her here." Sookie sighed, running her hands through the end of her ponytail. "I feel bad that I get to go out and she is stuck."

"It won't be forever. Eric and Pam are going to figure something out. So don't worry." Bill assured her, grabbing her hand as he spoke. "Go change and I will take you to the bar."

"What about Allison? She can't be left here alone." Sookie said with a frown. "And she can't come with us. Eric was adamant about her staying right where she is."

"She will be fine for a few minutes. I will go and drop you off and be back here in no time at all." Bill said, sounding so sure of it that it put her at ease. "Nothing is going to happen."

"You better make sure of it." She warned him, getting up from the table and leaned over to kiss him. "Alright, I'm going upstairs to change and let Allie know what is going on."

"Ok." Was all Bill said as she left the room and headed through the house and towards the staircase where she met her cousin just as she was coming down.

"Hey Allie. I was actually coming to talk to you." Sookie said, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her back upstairs again. "Look, that was Sam calling and he wants me to come in for the night. Arlene is sick and he is down a waitress."

"That's good. It would do you wonders to get out and relax, even if it is spent working at the bar." The brunette pointed out and followed Sookie down the hallway into the bedroom. "You should do it."

"You wouldn't mind?" Sookie questioned as Allison sat down on the bed and watched her pull out her uniform. "I feel kind of guilty because you would still be stuck here."

"It won't be that bad." Allison piped up from her spot. "It's only for a few hours and Bill will be here. So it will be ok."

"Still, I also pulled you up here to make sure you know where the rifle is, just in case you need it." Sookie told her, pointing to the back of the closet. "Bill is going to drive me there to make sure I don't attacked. And then he will be right back so you won't be alone for too long."

"You worry too much. Nothing is going to happen..."

* * *

**35 minutes later...**

"See Sookie? It's been like 15 minutes since you left and nothing has happened." I said out loud to the quiet room as I sat cross legged on my bed and flipped through a magazine while I waited for Bill to return. It would be any minute now and that was a good thing. I was already getting bored with myself and it hadn't even been that long. And even though Bill wasn't the vampire I wanted to be around at the moment, at least he was company. But I still wished it were Eric.

Oh Eric, that damn vampire was going to be such a problem for me. He was consuming every waking thought I had and even when I was thinking about things that weren't even related to him, he still somehow managed to seep into my head and then everything was in a scramble. I didn't know what he was making me feel just like I wasn't sure why he was putting up all these measure to protect me. I suppose it was like Bill had said, that Eric had my interests at heart. But somehow that didn't seem right. It's not like Eric showed that he really cared, because he certainly had never said it. But then again, he was one of those vampire who didn't exactly spill their guts out, hence the car incident when I asked him about his past. So I probably shouldn't read too much into the doubt. Eric had to have cared about me if he was trying to capture this damn demon and making sure I had bodyguards around me all the time. If that wasn't caring about someone, then I don't know what was.

_Bang!_

"Bill? It's about time you got back. I was beginning to wonder when you were going to return." I called out, getting off my bed and leaving my room when I heard the front door slam shut and footsteps walk across the hallway. I skipped over the throw carpet outside my room, nearly tripping over my own feet and hoped that Bill hadn't heard. But with his vampire hearing, that wasn't likely. So when I got to the top of the stairs I was waiting for him to tease me about it like he usually did when I had clumsy moment. "Ok, ok. I know you heard me trip back there Bill, and I know..."

My words were strangled though when I looked down the long flight of stairs at the figure waiting for me, but it wasn't Bill. My gaze took in the classic hair and the sleek clothes and then the most frightening part of all, those soul-less black eyes. My stomach dropped down all the way to my toes as I locked eyes with the demon and it twisted its lips into a crazy smile at me. I could barely find the will to breath when it lifted its foot and slowly started to walk up the stairs.


	17. Barely Breathing

**Chapter 17 Barely Breathing**

"Well, don't you still look delectable." The demon spoke out to me as he slowly climbed the stairs, keeping his eyes on me the whole time he moved. "I thought I had almost killed you. Good thing I didn't. Because now I can have fun."

"Why...why are you doing this?" I managed to stutter, unable to will my body to run away. I was paralyzed by fear and could only watch as he got closer to where I was standing. "Why are you hunting me?"

"Why not?" He smirked, the expression making his black eyes look even more evil.

"Shit." I whispered, finally finding the strength to move and I dashed from the top of the staircase through the hallway towards my bedroom and dove on the floor to grab the rifle that I had stored under my bed. My hands were shaking as I stood back up and attempted to cock and load the gun. I could hear the demon still making his way up to the second floor. He seemed to be going at the slowest pace he could, almost like he was trying to stretch out the fear and terror for as long as he wanted. If he was going to kill me, it wasn't going to be quick. It be long and painful and drawn out for the maximum amount of suffering. If I was going to die, I wanted it to happen fast, before I knew what was going on. But seeing the look on the demon's face said it wasn't going to be that way. This realization made an icy sweat break out across my skin and I swallowed hard when it hit me that I would have to fend for myself. I was alone in the house with no back up. I ran towards the doorway of my room and peered out into the hall, gripping the rifle in my small hands. "Damn it Bill. Where the fuck are you?"

"Come out, come out where ever you are." The demon called out in a sickeningly sweet voice as he took the last step and appeared at the end of the hallway. His head turned and caught sight of me and another evil smirk uncurled across his lips. "Well, look what I found. Are you going to stop running and give yourself to me?"

"Not a chance." I shouted, raising my free hand and willed the white light to appear so I could blast this thing away from me. But nothing happened, my fingers just sat there in mid air shaking with nothing coming out of them. I shook my head, fearing washing over me again. "No no, not now. Don't not work when I need it the most."

The demon laughed at me when I withdrew my hand and placed it back on the rifle and started backing away. He resumed his slow walking, stalking me until I finally turned my back and ran for the spare bedroom at the farthest end of the house. I saw his mocking face one last time before I kicked the door shut and flipped the lock. I looked around the room trying to figure out what I could use to block the doorway and give me more time and my eyes landed on an old trunk that my grandmother used to use for storage. I dropped the rifle and instantly threw all my weight into moving the trunk towards the front of the room. I had to bend down and brace my feet against the floor to move it, but I did and pushed it right up on the door. I knew it wasn't going to last, this demon had more power then it had shown, but I had to do something. I looked down at my hands, begging for something to happen, but they didn't do anything. I couldn't calm my mind down long enough to concentrate on using my powers. I had gone instantly into a regular human survival mode and did stupid things like grab a gun and block a doorway with furniture even though I knew it wasn't going to save me.

"You're just making this more fun for me." The demon hissed, it's tone going dark as he moved closer to the room. "You're not going to win. Give in to me and maybe I will spare you."

"Fuck you." I screamed, tears running down my face as I gripped my hair and stood in the middle of the room, trying to figure out what to do next. The demon was pounding on the door, intent on getting at me through physical force rather then it's own powers. And that terrified me just as much if it had just been a regular human.

I glanced around me, feeling the panic start to rise as the wood of the door started splintering down the middle. Time was running out, I had to do something. I grabbed the rifle that was on the floor at my feet and even though I had never used a firearm in my life, I slipped my finger on the trigger and fired a shot at a spot in the door where I could see the demon. But the bullet went right through it and I could swear I heard it laughing. A gun did no damage to it at all! Oh shit. I dropped the rifle back on the floor and ran to the window and started to pound on it to smash the glass. But before I could I escape, the bedroom door smashed open and there the demon was, standing in the pile of broken wood with its fists clenched, ready to pounce. I braced myself against the wall for whatever was to become my fate and cried out for the one person I wished was there. If there was ever a time he needed to hear me, this was it.

"ERIC!"

* * *

**At Fangtasia**

"Eric, what is your problem?" Pam groaned, walking into this office with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. She had been hounding him all night about his sour mood and he had to escape to his office to get some peace, but she had simply followed him, firing question after question at him until he was ready to explode.

"I do not have a problem and if I do, it is only because you are annoying me." Eric growled, turning away from her and faced the wall. He never really had all that much patience when it came to his child, but tonight he was especially limited in keeping his cool. "So unless you have a point to make, then you should leave."

"Someone's mood hasn't improved all that much." Pam pointed out, smirking as she sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the desk from him. "Still thinking about what I found out about your little pet?"

"You could say that." Eric muttered, leaning over his desk with his elbows on the top and looked at his progeny. "It's the craziest thing. I was sitting here thinking about her and I just kept on feeling this weird sensation..."

"ERIC!" Allison's frightened voice came clear through his head and he felt every thing in his body snap to attention the moment he heard this. His eyes clouded over as he felt a flash of pain hit him that he knew wasn't his own. He was feeling the full brunt of his bond with her for the first time and it caught him off guard for a second. But not enough that he didn't immediately go into action.

"What is it?" Pam demanded, looking concerned when he jumped to his feet and headed for the back door located on the other side of the office. "What happened?"

"I heard Allison say my name. She's in trouble." Eric explained, ripping open the door and stepping into the back alley. "Manage the bar, I have to get to Bon Temps right now."

"Ok. Be careful." Pam ordered, sounding more like a worried human then the strong vampire that she was. He nodded to her once before shooting up into the air and flying away into the night out of Shreveport.

It wouldn't take him long to reach Allison, but even with how fast he could get there, it could still be a second too late. He didn't dwell on this because he didn't want to think of what could happen if he didn't get to her on time. The idea of possibly finding her dead brought him such agony that he nearly fell out of the sky as he flew. He froze all thoughts of this outcome in his mind and pushed himself to his limit, flying faster then he ever had before. He reached the outer limits of Bon Temps within seconds and passed over the dirt roads and patches of forests that littered the land until he soared over the town cemetery and spotted the Stackhouse home just a hundreds in front of him. He could feel the pain growing stronger and more frantic as he got closer to the house and he didn't wait a second before breaking though the second story window and stumbled into the room where he came upon a sight that filled him with such anger that he could only see red.

The demon was mounted on top of a barely conscious Allison, who had already been bloodied and beaten and was lying there struggling to escape as the creature reared back its head, preparing to sink it's rough teeth into her neck. Eric flashed forward, grabbing the demon hybrid by the back of the shoulders and pulled it off her, throwing it in the direction of the open window where it exited and fell to the outside. Eric looked down at Allison and when he saw that she was ok enough to not need his attention right away, he jumped towards the window and flew down to the yard to where the demon was waiting with his arms crossed, ready to fight. Eric felt his insides turn to steel as he charged at the creature who had caused Allison's pain. The demon simply stood there and then in a flash, it was gone, leaving him running at empty air. He paused, waiting for it to show up again and then whipped his head around when he saw the demon running towards the house to get back inside. Eric was faster and reached him before he could get up the first step and wrapped his hands around the neck and slammed him back first onto the ground. The demon fought against him, but even for a hybrid, he was no match for Eric and the creature wiggled wildly underneath him without a shot of getting away. Eric was ready to raise his hand and throw a punch, but the demon shook his head and smirked. The second after that, it was gone and silence settled upon the yard. Eric stood up slowly, listening for any sign that it was coming back, but his heightened senses could tell the scent was leading back out of town and that the creature wouldn't return any time soon.

"Damn it." Eric growled, looking out into the night and fighting the urge to go after it and take it down. But as he looked up at the house, he knew there were more pressing matters to attend to. He walked back to the side yard and flew up into the air and came through the broken window again to see Allison slowly getting to her feet with the help of leaning on a dresser. The blood was still trickling down her face and her legs were stained red, but she was able to move and it showed she wasn't too badly injured. But he still rushed over to her side and placed his hands on her body to keep her steady before saying something that was completely out of character for him. "Are you alright?"

"I think so. My head hurts really bad, I think I got the cut when the demon threw me across the room, but I'm ok otherwise." She answered, looking dazed as she pressed her hand to her forehead where the blood was flowing and then pulled it away. She closed her eyes, looking extremely tired before her face tilted back to look at him, and she seemed to just realize that it was him as her eyes grew big. "Eric! What are you doing here? How did you know..."

"I heard you say my name." He replied, pressing his hand to her head and leading her over to the bed and sat her down. "I was in my office and I heard your voice call for me. So I flew right here and I felt your pain from the attack. So I broke in the window and chased the demon away."

"You heard me?" She asked in disbelief, her body swaying even though she was sitting. "How is that possible? You never felt me before."

"I don't know. I just did." He told her, feeling her shake violently underneath his hands, it seemed like her fear was hitting her full force again. He tightened his grip on her and said. "I'm here now and I am going to heal you."

"Ok." She nodded,her head falling forward and landed on his shoulder while he brought his wrist up to his mouth and bite into his skin without a second thought. As soon as the blood started to flow, he pushed her back in his arms and held his wrist to her lips and settled her on his lap as she began to drink from him. She held onto his arm with her tiny, delicate hands and sucked fiercely at his veins while he tried his hardest not to lash out in anger at the thought that had been running through his mind ever since he got here.

Where the fuck was Bill?

* * *

**5 minutes later**

"I was so scared. I heard the door open downstairs and I thought it was Bill coming back from dropping off Sookie at work. But it wasn't him." I murmured, laying on my side on my own bed in clean clothes while Eric sat on the end of it and angrily tapped his foot on the floor. He was furious and had barely spoken a word since he had healed me. Now we were sitting here, waiting for Bill to return and I was finding it a little hard to regain my composure. I clutched a pillow to my chest, occasionally hiding my face so I wouldn't have to see the expression on Eric's face when I would let a tear slip down my cheek. I was tired and that was a result of the shock and terror I had felt at the attack and I was more then ready to get some rest. But I couldn't quite get myself to do that. I tried to force my eyes to close but it wasn't working. I yawned, pushing my hair out of my eyes and looked at Eric, who was staring straight ahead at my bedroom door.

"You should sleep." He pointed out, keeping his arms crossed tightly and his muscles heavy and tense for when he was going to yell at Bill.

"I can't sleep. I'm too nervous." I admitted, feeling weak and stupid for saying this and I knew he was probably going to make fun of me for it but what he said next took me by surprise.

"I'll stay here with you. All night if I have to." Eric told me, turning his face to look down and he placed his hand on the back of my knee. "All you have to do is ask and..."

"Allison? I'm back." Bill's voice called up from downstairs and I saw Eric's hand retract and his eyes grow wide with fury. I barely had a chance to reach out and grab Eric's arm before he jumped to his feet. I nearly fell off the bed but Eric moved fast and caught me in his arms before setting me aside and dashing out of the room. I heard the thud of his steps as he went down the staircase and there was a clash of angry voices right after that.

"Oh god this is not going to end well." I groaned, crawling off the bed and running towards the source of the shouting. If I didn't get there, Eric was going to rip Bill apart and I couldn't have that happen. Sookie would be devastated if that were to happen. I hopped down 2 steps at a time until I reached the foyer and found it empty and the front door wide open again. I took one look out into the yard and saw two bodies flashing back and forth over the grass. I walked out on to the porch to watch Eric throw Bill around and yell at him.

"She could have been killed you fucking idiot." Eric bellowed, shoving his hand straight at Bill's chest and the younger vampire flew backwards and landed with a thud on the dirt. "Where the fuck were you this whole time?"

"I was merely dropping Sookie off. I didn't think I would be gone that long. I thought she would be safe." Bill shouted back, getting to his feet and then spotted me standing there and his face fell. "Allison, I am so sorry..."

"Do not speak to her, you fuck up." Eric growled, charging at Bill again while I watched. "That demon could have ended her and you were supposed to be watching the house."

"I apologize and take responsibility for what happened. I did not mean for it to get that bad." Bill shot back as Eric slammed him into the ground again. "I would never want harm to come to Allison."

"Then do what you're told and follow orders." Eric hollered, his fists clenched at his side and the two vampires stood apart from one another looking ready to attack. I took this moment to rush down the porch steps and jump into the middle to try and stop this from going any further.

"Eric stop it. He said he was sorry, he didn't mean for it to happen." I tried to get through to Eric, but he was looking around me and glaring at Bill with evil eyes. "Let it go. Please."

"You were hurt because he wasn't there. He's going to pay." Eric snapped, reaching out to grab me, but I stepped backwards to Bill so Eric couldn't hurt him. Eric paused, looking furious at my actions. "You're protecting him? After what he did?"

"Yes, because I know he is sorry and you should know that too." I said, glancing over my shoulder at Bill, who looked at me with shame in his eyes and hung his head low. I turned back to Eric and said. "Please, don't let there be any more bloodshed. Tonight was already bad enough. Just let it go."

"I can't believe you are asking this of me." Eric scoffed, his eyes meeting mine and I saw the slight confusion there being masked by his overwhelming anger. He stretched out his clenched fists and dropped them at his side, not looking like he wanted to let this go but he did. "Fine, it's over."

"Thank you." I sighed heavily, turning to look at Bill who was relieved at this verdict. I nodded towards the house and said "Go inside and wait for me."

"Alright." Bill agreed, narrowing his eyes at Eric before disappearing with a flash into the house and left me alone with the angry blonde vampire who didn't look at all calm.

"I can't believe you are going to still trust him to guard you for the rest of the night." Eric exclaimed, pacing around the yard with a hand on his hip and his fingers combing through his hair. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Bill made a mistake by being gone too long, but he won't make it again. Let him have a second chance." I frowned, walking towards the viking with slow hesitant steps while he continued to stomp out the rest of his anger. When I was close enough to touch him, I reached out and grabbed onto his arm with one of my hands and he stopped in his tracks when I touched his skin and looked down at me. "Look, we all need to be on each others side until this whole demon business is under control. And you have to see that Bill didn't intentionally put me in harms way."

"For his sake, he better not let it happen again, or you will not be able to talk me down." Eric told me, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth. "But for now I will let it go."

"Good." I was relieved and it must have shown on my face because I could practically hear Eric smirk.

"Your obsession with trying to keep the peace between all of us reminds me so much of..." His voice trailed off .

"Of who?" I asked, seeing something akin to sadness flash across his face and I wanted to know where he was going with this.

"Never mind." Eric shook his head and looked at me before cupping my chin in his hand and leaned down to kiss me passionately on the lips before pulling away. "Make sure Bill doesn't leave your side again, or I will come back and finish him."

"I will." I nodded and watched Eric shot into the air and fly away from the house at lightening speed.

* * *

**The next night**

"Bill, do not call me for the rest of the night. I am so furious with you that I couldn't stand to see your face." Sookie snapped, slamming down the phone in the kitchen and practically screamed out loud as Allison came into the room dressed for bed and looking at her with a grimace on her face.

"He called again?" Her cousin asked, walking over to the refrigerator and taking out a bottle of water. "And you hung up again?"

"Of course I did. He messed up big time." Sookie said, walking over to the table and sitting down with a heavy sigh. She still couldn't believe the events that had unfolded just last night while she had been at work. When she had gotten home around 3 in the morning, she was horrified to see the broken door and smashed window in the upstairs bedroom that had been damaged in the attack. And she immediately demanded that Bill tell her what happened while she was gone and as he told her about the demon coming to attack Allison and how Eric came to rescue her, Sookie found herself growing more and more furious at him. She forced him to come outside on the porch so they wouldn't wake Allison, and she yelled at him for insisting that he accompany her to Merlottes and leaving Allison alone at the house. She was so angry that it had taken him so long to get back and in just that little block of time, Allison had been attacked and hurt and one of the bedrooms destroyed. If it hadn't been for Eric, things could have turned out much worse. Somehow he had felt Allison's distress and immediately flew here from Shreveport to run off the demon and saved Allie's life. He had stayed with her until Bill returned and had healed her injuries. Sookie never thought she would say this ever in her life, but thank god for Eric Northman.

"I hate it when you and Bill fight." Allison grumbled, sitting down across from her and placed her hands on the table top. "Especially when it has to do with me."

"Oh no you don't." Sookie warned, wagging her finger at her cousin. "Do not start with that whole guilty look. This is all on Bill."

"He made a mistake and he apologized. Why can't Eric or you accept that?" Allison wondered, tapping her fingertips on the wood.

"Because his mistake almost cost you your life, that's why." Sookie shot back, her anger flaring up once more. "You could have been killed by this thing, and he was supposed to be here watching you. But instead he just had to go with me to work and take his time getting back here. And that doesn't sit well with me."

"He didn't mean to do that and you know it." Allison pointed out, pressing her lips together. "Bill's a good guy and he cares about you and me. He would never do something like this on purpose. He honestly thought it would be ok."

"I just can't look at him tonight." Sookie sighed, running her hands through her blonde hair. "This anger I have towards him has to run its course."

"Don't let it go on too long." Allie shrugged and then nodded to the doorway. "Are you going to bed now?"

"Yea, I am exhausted." Sookie told her, standing up and stretching her arms above her head. "What about you?"

"I will in a little bit, but I was actually going to go out on the porch and talk to Pam." Allison said, gritting her teeth as she also stood up.

"Why?" Sookie asked with a frown. Pam was never easy to deal with and she usually tried her best to keep out of the female vampire's way as much as possible. But Allison seemed eager to speak with her.

"There's just something I wanted to ask her about." Her cousin replied, scratching her head hesitantly before saying, "I wanted to see if she would tell me anything about Eric's past, because he won't tell me a thing."

"I could probably do that." Sookie suggested, curious as to why Allison would want to know more deeply about Eric. It was a strange concept to grasp. "You don't have to endure Pam's company to find out."

"True, but she is his child and the closest thing to him, so she would be able to tell me everything." Allison responded, biting her nails nervously as she glanced towards the front door. "Besides, I think it should come from her."

"Alright, as long as you are sure." Sookie relented, amused that anyone would purposely seek out Pam's counsel. She walked with her cousin to the front hallway and then they parted with a hug. "Good night and more importantly, good luck."

"Thanks..."

* * *

**20 minutes later**

"So why are you out here bothering me? Don't you know I'm on babysitting duty and I shouldn't be interacting with the likes of you." Was Pam's reply when I came out on the porch and approached the bench where she was sitting. She looked me up and down, taking in the tank top and shorts I was wearing and smirked. "On second thought, stick around. I kind of like what I see."

"Eww." I shuddered, wrapping the edges of my loose sweater around my body and walked over to the railing and leaned against it. "I actually came out here hoping you could tell me something."

"And what exactly do you want me to tell you?" Pam asked, her carefree smirk turning into a suspicious frown and I could see her body tense in anticipation of my question.

"Something about Eric." I stated, feeling my face flush red when I said his name and I almost wish I could take it back. I looked at Pam and was surprised to see that she looked confused by my statement. "I tried asking him about his past and whoever his maker was and he refuses to tell me anything. He actually got kind of mad at me when I did bring it up."

"That doesn't surprise me. Eric tends to react that way when people poke around in his business." Pam said, sitting back on the bench and examined her shoes which were as usual, pink. She looked back at me and raised her eyebrows. "Didn't Sookie tell you anything about what she knows about him? I mean, you had to have noticed that she went to Dallas on a mission for Eric last year."

"Of course I know that, but she never gave too many specifics, just that Eric wanted her to help him find a missing vampire, that's all. She never talks about Eric except to complain about how he acts." I told Pam, brushing my hair back over my shoulder. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"That's a big part of Eric's life." Pam said, looking up at the sky where the moon was shinning brightly on the yard and the house. "That vampire, he wanted Sookie to help him find, that was his maker Godric."

"Seriously?" I was taken aback by this tiny piece of info. I had never heard Sookie mention the name of Eric's maker and I didn't even know his maker was the missing vampire she had gone off to find, at least not until now. Eric must have made her promise to never speak of it to anyone, including me. "Wow. I had no idea."

"Well Eric doesn't like to talk about it. I think it was too much of a blow that he just never came back from." Pam explained, sighing and looking more like a human then I ever thought possible for her. It only occurred to me now that she cared very deeply about Eric and it was obvious by the expression on her face.

"What happened?" I sat up on the railing, my legs gripping the wood ,while I looked at her.

"I guess if I am going to tell you about that, then I might as well start at the very beginning, when he was still human." Pam said as she sat up and crossed one leg over the other. "You know Eric is a thousand years old right? He was a former viking and his father was king. Eric was being groomed to learn the way of his country and how to take care of everything for when it was his time to step up and be king. Eric wasn't interested too much in being in charge and apparently he made it quite difficult for his family. His father was supposed to lead his people for a long time but that didn't quite pan out the way it was supposed to"

"This is going to be sad isn't it?" I whispered, already having a bad feeling about where this was going to go.

"One night, they were attacked by a pack of werewolves and his entire family was slaughtered. His mother and father and baby sister were killed and Eric had to assume the role of king way before he was ready. It was only in the last year that he found out that the massacre was set forth by a 3000 year old vampire named Russell Edgington, who was after his father's crown. Eric hunted Russell and eventually exacted his revenge. But even with him gone, Eric still hasn't found peace and contentment and I think that mostly has to do with Godric."

"Poor Eric." I commented, finding my voice sounded sadder then I intended it to. Pam didn't look any better as she relayed this information to me and it was the strangest thing in the world to see a vampire looking so human. I almost wanted to cry but I held back because I could tell the saddest part was to come. "So what is the story about Godric?"

"Godric was the closest thing Eric had to family after his parents and sister were killed. The bond between maker and child is always intense, but with Eric and Godric it was so different and so much deeper then any bond I have ever encountered. Eric respected his maker like no one else. He was fiercely loyal and protective and would do anything for him. And vice versa. They were the best of friends and almost more then family then Eric's own family was." Pam explained, dabbing at her eyes with the corner of her sleeves. "He loved him. Eric doesn't love anyone, but he loved Godric."

"I can't imagine Eric being that way." I tried to picture it, but it was nearly impossible.

"Eric was still his mean, nasty self, but with Godric, almost like he was a different person. They had so many years together, its hard to find a maker and child who are that connected after all those years." Pam replied, pulling her dark blonde hair over her shoulders. "Godric turned him into a vampire after he came across Eric's army during the night while they were resting after battle. Eric was injured and he was going to die, but Godric had seen him fighting and wanted to keep him alive. So when the rest of the army was killed, he asked Eric to stay with him and be immortal. And Eric agreed. He loved life and to be given the gift of never having to stop living was something he couldn't pass up and so he didn't. And after that, he and Godric roamed the world together, never really separating for more then a few months to a year at a time. They were that close."

"That's incredible." I sniffed, a few tears rolling down my face but I wiped them away. I got down from the railing and walked over to sit on the bench by Pam, something I never thought I would do. "What happened to Godric?"

"As you know now, he went missing in Dallas last year and Eric had Sookie come and listen to the other humans to see if she could figure out where he was. And as it turned out, Godric had given himself to that Fellowship of the Sun church in the hopes that it would calm tensions between the Newlins and the vampire community. But they had someone working for them and tricked us into thinking they were on our side. But Sookie and this guy were locked in the basement until the truth came out and then eventually Godric appeared down there to rescue Sookie from one of the guards. Eric showed up and tried to get Sookie out but they were both chased into the church and held captive there. A big fight ensued and it was eventually broken up by Godric and everyone went home. It should have ended then and there, but the Newlins weren't done yet. They sent a suicide bomber armed with silver and wood to Godric's house and it went off. Vampires and humans were killed and it caused a big commotion with our representative Nan Flannigan." Pam's nose wrinkled in disgust when she said the name and there was obviously bad blood there. "And she gave Godric a hard time and took away his sheriff's title. He was so distraught over the whole mess that he said he would make amends for everything that had happened and he did. He went to the top of the hotel and intended to meet the sun, but Eric refused to leave his side. I don't know what was said, but Eric fell apart up there and was willing to die as well. But Godric ordered him away and Eric had no choice but to leave. Sookie had followed them and she stayed with Godric when the sun came up and killed him. Eric hasn't been the same since. I think he is still in mourning even though he will never admit it."

"I don't...I don't..." I struggled to find the words to express the sorrow I felt for Eric's pain but there were no words. To lose your family so violently and then have someone you were with for a thousand years die was a pain so sharp and hot that that was no way to even decipher it. No wonder Eric was the way he was. I wiped at my soaked cheeks and looked at Pam who also had tears on her face, but hers were blood tears. "I have no idea what to say."

"That was my reaction when I heard the entire story. Eric doesn't like to talk about his past so I only found out about it in bits and pieces over the years." Pam said, crossing her arms and stared straight ahead at the yard and trees. "But that's what is to blame for his attitude. So now you know."

"I can't believe you told me." I mumbled, twisting my hands around each other as I looked down at my lap and tried to keep everything inside. "I would have thought you would put up a fight over it."

"If it had been anything else then I would have. But I know how difficult it is to get to know Eric and I wouldn't wish to put that on anyone, even you." Pam smirked, glancing my way with her usual expression, but now after seeing her so emotional, I could see the underlying sadness that was there. "I don't particularly like you, but for some reason, I can see that you care for Eric and because of that, I will attempt to get along with you."

"I say the exact same thing right back to you, word for word." I told her, finding myself smiling for the first time at Pam and believe it or not, she smiled back at me. "Thank you for telling me."

"You're welcome."


	18. Making Progress

**Chapter 18 Making Progress**

**2 days later...**

"Why are you so quiet?" Eric asked me as we sat together out on the front porch and stared at the dark yard in front of us. There had been mostly silence in the air since he arrived an hour ago to watch over me for the night and he hadn't questioned me about my lack of conversation until now. I suppose it had to do with him finally noticing the fact that I kept on sneaking glances at him from time to time and never saying anything, that finally spurred him to ask about it.

"I don't really have anything to say." I told him, looking down at my lap where I intertwined my fingers together from both hands to distract myself from looking at him. Even though I liked being alone with Eric, I almost wished Sookie was here instead of making up with Bill for the night. Now I had no one else around to draw Eric's attention away from me. He was going to pick up on everything I did and I was struggling to keep him from going there.

"You're lying. I can tell." Eric said, turning his body to face me but I kept my eyes straight ahead. I couldn't look at him or else I might give in and admit what I was thinking about.

"No really, I'm just not in a talkative mood tonight." I assured him, uncurling my hands and standing up. "I'm just going to get a drink."

I could feel Eric's eyes on me as I escaped into the empty house house and headed towards the kitchen, but I tried not to think about it as I turned the light on and went to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator. I stood in the middle of the room taking a drink, and trying to forget about what Pam had told me about Eric's past but trying to erase hearing something like that was nearly impossible. Ever since that night on the porch I hadn't been able to look at Eric the same way. Before he was always this scary, terrifying and intimidating figure that always got his way no matter what. But now that I heard all these intimate details about his life and his family and of Godric, I just couldn't see Eric as this bad ass vampire anymore. I saw now that it was all just a mask to hide the still fresh pain he carried around deep inside of him. And every time I looked at him, I remembered what Pam had told me and there hasn't been a time when I was able to glance at Eric and feel afraid. It just wasn't possible any more. And standing here in this kitchen reminded me of that. But it also reminded me that I couldn't just act differently around him, that would arouse suspicion and there was no telling how he would react to me knowing that much about him.

"You're hiding from me aren't you?" Eric's voice broke through my cloud of thoughts and I lifted my head to see him standing in the doorway to the kitchen with his arms crossed and his feet braced. The expression on his face was unreadable and that in turn made me nervous, which he could tell because he narrowed his eyes and walked towards me. "What's going on?"

"I don't know what you mean." I tried to play dumb, setting down my water bottle and walking in the opposite direction from where he was coming at me.

"I think you do. Or else you wouldn't be backing away from me." He pointed out, continuing to come towards me as his face twisted into a frown. "Tell me right now what you know."

"What makes you think I know something?" I backed into the counter and he was in front of me without any means of escape. He was only a few feet away and towered above me, almost blocking out the light in the ceiling.

"Because you keep dancing around the subject which means you are hiding something." Eric told me, the look in his eyes growing dark and I felt my stomach clench painfully, a sure sign that this wasn't going to turn out well. "Save yourself the trouble and just spit it out. What do you know?"

"Fine, but it's not that big a deal." I mumbled, reaching up to twirl my hair around my fingers, a habit that had been present since childhood when I was nervous. I looked at Eric, shrugging my shoulders, hoping to make the situation seem less tense then it was and then just said it. "I kind of know about you."

"Know what?" Eric asked, his jaw clamping together instantly after the words left my mouth. He wrinkled his pale forehead and crossed his arms even more tightly over his chest.

"All of it. Your past. You know...about your family and their deaths and how you were made a vampire and your history with Godric." I explained, watching as his face went from suspicious to angry and then to almost sad. It made my own heart hurt to see that pain flash through his eyes. I couldn't just stand there and not touch him. I had to do something to comfort him. So I stepped forward, reaching out with my hand. "Eric, why didn't you tell me about your family and especially about Godric? I could have helped you with that pain. I would have understood..."

"Don't you even go there. You would not have understood about any of it." He growled, slapping my hand away and grabbing me by the shoulders. "Do not speak of something you don't know anything about."

"I was just trying to help." I protested, looking up at his angry face. "I've lost people in my life just like you lost Godric. I know what..."

"Shut your fucking mouth. I don't want to hear you speak that name." Eric snapped, his hands tightening on my arms with his nails digging into my skin. "You are just a stupid human, who knows nothing about my pain."

"Don't be this way." I said, struggling to get out of his vice like grip and I reached up and placed my hand on his face. "You don't have to carry this pain by yourself. You can lean on me for support."

"I AM NOT WEAK." He bellowed, his hands snapping forward and wrapping around my arms again before swinging around and tossing me down to the floor in a fit of anger. I landed hard on my back and didn't even get a chance to move before Eric was on top of me and his hands grabbed a hold of my long hair and yanked my head to the side. I barely got another glimpse of his face before I heard his fangs click out and then felt a sharp pain as he sunk them deep into my neck and started drinking my blood. I felt the tears instantly spring to my eyes and run down my face as his stone body kept me pinned to the floor while the blood flowed out of my veins and into his mouth. It hurt worse then I thought it would. He was so rough and mean and it immediately reminded me of the demon attack in the woods, sharp and painful and utterly terrifying. I couldn't even summon the energy to move, his hand had locked onto my hair and kept my head turned to the side so he could continue to feed on me. I never should have thought I couldn't be scared of Eric, because I certainly was right now. I didn't know if he was going to just taste me or drain me completely, but either option wasn't a good one. He was drinking my blood without even asking first, he had just done it as a reaction to what I had told him about. This was not the way I had envisioned him doing this for the first time. It wasn't supposed to be like this, filled with anger and me being scared for my life. I didn't want this. But what could I do? Eric was stronger then me at the moment and he didn't seem like he was going to stop any time soon. So there was a very good chance that I was going to end up dying here on my kitchen floor. But once again, I was wrong. Even though the pain was still present, I felt the sharpness disappear from the vein in my neck and I turned my face to meet Eric and saw that his fangs had retracted. My blood stained the skin around his mouth and there was a euphoric look in his eyes as he got back to his feet and stood over me with his fists clenched. He stepped over my body and headed back towards the doorway to go out to the porch again and before he left, he looked over his shoulder at me and in the darkest voice he had ever used with me he said. "Stay out of my past."

"Ok." I was barely able to get that out as I watched him leave the room and go out the front door which slammed shut with a bang and left me alone on the kitchen floor with two fang marks on my neck.

* * *

**The next morning**

"Hey Allie are you alright? You seem distracted today." Sookie said to her cousin as the two of them met up in the back of the bar and refilled their trays with napkins and utensils to be set out for the the afternoon rush. It was 11 in the morning and Allison had come with her to Merlottes for the day so she wouldn't be alone and Sam asked her to help out again which Sookie appreciated, she knew how much her cousin hated sitting around with nothing to do. But the entire morning as they tended to the customers, Sookie had the sense that Allison's mind was more then just a little occupied. It wasn't that she wasn't paying attention to her work, because she was. But when there was very little to do, Allison stood off to the side with a clouded, hazy sort of look in her eyes, like she was deep in her thoughts.

"I'm just tired that's all. I didn't sleep well last night." Allison replied, putting on a small smile as she folded forks and knives up in the napkins and stacked them on her tray.

"Are you sure that's it?" Sookie questioned, looking over the girl as she spoke and wishing more then anything she could read Allie's thoughts, but she couldn't. One slip up and Allison would find out about her secret and that couldn't happen, not like this. So she simply put it out of her mind. "Is it Eric? Was he not nice to you when he was at the house?"

"Relax, it has nothing to do with Eric or anyone." The brunette shook her head so her hair fell down her back and exposed her neck. Sookie nearly did a double take when she saw the marks on the smooth skin.

"Allison, what the fuck?" She snapped, grabbing the girl by the shoulders and pushing her hair off her neck. "Are those fangs marks? You let Eric bite you?"

"So what? You let Bill do it." Allison shot back with a shrug, pulling away and covering her neck with her hand. "What's the difference?"

"The difference is that Bill only does it when we are having sex and...wait a minute." Sookie paused as realization dawned on her and she shot a look at her cousin. "Did you and Eric sleep together last night when I was at Bill's? Is that why he bit you?"

"No!" Allison denied, looking embarrassed and slightly red in the face as she stood there with her hands on her hips. "There was a misunderstanding and he got angry, that's all."

"He got pissed and drank your blood?" Sookie felt sickened as she looked again at those marks. "Over what?"

"I brought up the fact that I knew about his past and about Godric and he didn't like it and reacted badly. But I'm ok." Allie assured her with a pat on her shoulder before she rolled her eyes. "And even if I did sleep with Eric, I wouldn't see what the big deal is."

"You had sex with the vampire?" Sam's voice joined the conversation as he appeared in the doorway to the back and stood there with a betrayed look on his face.

"No, Sam. I did not sleep with him." Allison shot back, her hand falling away from her neck and exposing the marks on the side of her throat to which Sam spotted almost instantly.

"And he bit you too?" Their boss demanded, stomping across the back hallway and grabbing Allison by the wrist before she could get away. He moved her hair over her shoulder and touched the fang bites with his fingers. "How stupid are you?"

"No, I think the question is how stupid are you." Allison threw back in his face, yanking her arm away. "I just told you I didn't sleep with him."

"But he bite you, that usually happens during sex." Sam protested, glaring at her and then towards Sookie. "Did you know this was going on?"

"No, I just found out 2 minutes ago." Sookie chimed in, standing between him and Allison nervously. The last thing they all needed was another fight. "You need to calm down and think rationally."

"How can I think rationally when she is going around screwing vampire?" Sam snapped in Allison's direction without even thinking. "You won't even deal with the kiss we shared, but you will go fuck a dead man?"

"Sam Merlotte, you better stop that right now." Sookie demanded, shocked that he would ever say something like that to her cousin. Sam was usually so level headed but he was like a completely different person.

"That's it." Allison stated, untying her apron and slamming it down on the table furiously. "I am not going to stand here and listen to this. I'm leaving."

"You can't leave." Sam growled, clenching his fists. "I gave Eric my word that I would watch out for you during the day."

"That's why you've been coming around so much and asking me to work during the day?" Allison's mouth dropped open and she threw her hands in the air. "I cannot believe this. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not that big a deal Allie." Sookie piped up with a shrug. "It was just another precaution to take..."

"Oh my god, you knew that he was put up to this?" Allison asked, pointing from Sam to her and when Sookie nodded, her cousin groaned. "I'm the only one who didn't know. Well that's just great."

"Consider it retribution for sleeping with the vampire." Sam snapped before stomping back to the main floor. He looked over his shoulder before leaving and said, "Don't even think about leaving early unless you feel like dying today. But then again, having sex with a vampire might just do that for you."

"I hate you." Allison shouted at him as he disappeared and she slammed her fist in the table in front of her. Sookie went to put her arm around her, but Allie shook her head. "Not right now. Just leave me be."

"Ok." Sookie agreed, standing there with her cousin and wondering what else was in store for them the rest of the day and night.

**

* * *

****Later that night**

"Are you sure you want to go to Fangtasia tonight?" Sookie asked as she followed her cousin down stairs to where Bill was waiting by the front door for them. "I mean, you don't have to. You can just skip it and we'll stay here."

"No I don't need to be hiding out at home any more then I usually do." Allison retorted, stepping down into the hallway and stopped in front of the mirror to fix her hair. "So don't question me about it again. I am sure."

"Alright, then let's go." Sookie motioned for her to go out first and she turned towards her fiancee with a smile, more then happy that she was no longer mad at him for his mistake. "Hi."

"You look beautiful." Bill told her, his hands going around her waist as his eyes took in her appearance again. "But in that dress, I don't think I will be the only vampire looking at you."

"Your flattery is nice, but it doesn't exactly put me at ease." Sookie pointed out, standing on her toes to kiss him. "I still appreciate it though."

"That's good." Bill smiled, tucking her hair behind her ears and waved towards the door. "If we don't leave now, I think Allison is going to drive off without us."

"I don't know why she would be in a hurry to get to Fangtasia after what Eric did." Sookie grumbled as she stepped out with Bill and locked the door. "I mean he bit her and drank her blood. But yet she is just going around acting completely normal. And it's not normal, I can tell you that."

"If she doesn't have a problem with it then you need to accept that and let it go." Bill replied, walking hand in hand with her across the grass. "Allison is a smart girl and wouldn't purposely be around Eric if it was dangerous."

"Since when are you on Eric's side?" She asked sarcastically, sliding into the passenger seat when Bill held open the door for her. Allison was in the back with her head against the window and looking out at the yard with that far away expression in her eyes. When Bill got behind the wheel and started driving, Sookie turned in her seat to look at her cousin. "I just have to ask one more time if you are sure."

"And for the last time, I am absolutely sure." Allie answered with a tight smile. "I don't know why you are coming with us. You hate that place."

"That is true, but Bill did say he would keep an eye on you and tonight's my night off so I figured why not go out for a while." Sookie explained, looking down at her red dress and then over at Bill who was glancing at her with a smirk on his lips. "And after that whole fiasco with Sam this afternoon, I want to be in a bar where he won't be."

"Gotcha." Allison agreed, her laughter coming more easily now and the tension leaving her face. "I can't believe I actually finished the rest of the day without having to talk to him again."

"It's not an easy thing." Sookie nodded, thinking over the events of the day. "But this fight will be over like the last one was."

"Maybe, but this time you will be the one to forgive him first, not me." Allison pointed out, sitting back in her seat with a glare. "I can't believe he made such a big deal about the whole biting thing. And the fact that he thinks I slept with Eric. Why would he think that?"

"Probably because vampires tend to bite the most when they are making love." Bill explained, his one hand reaching across the car towards Sookie's hand, making her smile. "So he sees you with fang marks on your neck and assumes the worst."

"It's not his business or any one else's if I slept or haven't slept with Eric." Allison stated, crossing her arms. "He's being crazy again."

"He just cares about you." Sookie told her, looking into the backseat again with a sympathetic look while Allison simply rolled her eyes.

"Sam is not the one I want to care about me..."

* * *

**2 hours later**

"This is such a crock of shit." I said out loud to the empty room as I closed a file folder and laid my arms on the desk top and hung my head. "Maybe I should have listened to Sookie and called in sick."

When we had arrived here at Fangtasia, Bill and Sookie went to get themselves drinks and I had whisked myself off to my office to escape the tension I felt the moment I stepped foot through the doors. I had passed by Pam on the way in and gave her a small smile and wave, and she did the same until her eyes landed on my neck and I knew she had spotted the fangs marks. But it wasn't her that had made me feel uneasy. It was spotting Eric on the far side of the club, sitting in his chair with the usual amount of vampire groupies and admirers groveling at his feet, that made me want to run and hide. I don't know if he could feel that I was there, because I never saw his head turn in my direction, but it had been a few hours and if he didn't feel my presence, then surely Pam or Bill had told him I was here. Thankfully he hadn't shown his face and I was grateful for that. I wasn't quite ready to see him after what had occurred in the kitchen last night. I didn't think that I could ever be afraid of him after hearing about his history, but I was so totally wrong. The animalistic look in his eyes before he sank his teeth into my neck was something that took my breath away and not at all in a good way. He had looked unhinged, as crazy as a vampire could look and that was saying a lot. So I was glad he seemed to be keeping his distance for the night. It would give me a moment or two before I would eventually come into contact with him again.

_Knock, Knock_

"Come in." I pulled my head up and called out to the door when I heard the noise. I knew it wasn't Eric out there in the hallway, the sound was too feminine and I could just sense it wasn't Sookie. But I was still shocked when I saw the figure that walked into the room and shut the door behind her. "Pam?"

"Hmm, yes I can certainly see why Eric is interested in you." She said playfully, sauntering towards the chair on the other side of the desk and sat down with a flourish. "You are incredibly yummy looking tonight."

"Thanks. That just made my night even better." I rolled my eyes and looking down at the black spaghetti strap dress I was wearing. "Now my mood has been lifted."

"Really?" Pam instantly perked up, looking hopeful. But then she saw that I was kidding and pressed her lips together and laughed. "You are a tease."

"Sorry, not in the best frame of mind today." I told her, sitting back with a sigh and ran my hands through my hair to get the tangles out. "So what are you doing here? Isn't your master making you watch the floor?"

"He won't notice if I sneak away for a few minutes. I needed to speak with you when you came in but I didn't get the chance to do that until now." Pam replied, setting her folded hands on the desk and nodded to my neck. "So Eric wasn't kidding when he said he tasted you last night."

"He told you about that?" I asked, surprised that he didn't keep it to himself. After all, Eric didn't exactly go around having deep conversations that included confessing to biting someone like me. Pam nodded in response and I shook my head. "He got pissed at me and this was the end result."

"So you had another glimpse into what it is like to encounter his anger. Surprised he managed to stop himself." Pam said, sounding curious as she looked at my neck. "What exactly did you say to him to make him do that?"

"He noticed that I was super quiet and he questioned me about it until I finally said that he could have told me about his family and about Godric. I said I would have understood his pain and anguish, but he flipped out and threw me on the floor where he proceeded to drink my blood." I explained, reliving it in my head and still feeling a shudder run through me as the image flashed in front of my eyes. "I haven't really seen him since. To be honest, I'm kind of afraid of him right now."

"That's really why I came to talk to you." Pam said, sounding serious and unlike her usual cocky self. "I'm here to apologize."

"Apologize for what? You didn't do anything." I frowned in surprise. I don't think I had ever heard a vampire apologize. Maybe Bill, but that was totally different from hearing Pam say it. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because it is my fault that Eric lost his temper and lashed out at you." She shot back looking uncomfortable with what she had to say. "I told you his secrets and he took it out on you."

"I don't know what he told you, but I never said you were the one who told me all that. I just said I knew." I stated with a shrug. "So it's not your fault."

"Maybe not, but I would appreciate it if you would just let me apologize." Pam snapped, her hands tightening on the edges of the desk and I fell silent and let her continue. "Eric will never say he is sorry, so I'm doing it for him. I'm sorry for how he reacted."

"It's ok. Just forget about it, it's done." I shook my head and tucked my hair back behind my ears. "I'm not mad, just... terrified of him."

"I won't pretend to be all in tune to this mushiness you humans are used to., but even vampires can still feel sorrow. Even vampires like Eric." Pam pointed out and stood up as she straightened out her clothes. Her eyes met mine and she looked at me like she did on the porch that night. "It's not easy for him to share his pain, but it doesn't mean he doesn't feel it."

"Thanks for letting me know that." I whispered, finding myself smiling for the first time in hours. And then I did something I wasn't expecting I would do. I stretched my hand out to Pam for a handshake and she surprisingly took it. "You know, I think eventually you and I could be friends."

"Yea right. Don't push your luck Stackhouse..."

* * *

**45 minutes later**

"We need to talk."

"Not this shit again. I am not in the mood for it." Eric hissed at his progeny as she approached his desk with a determined look on her face. He didn't have any more patience for dealing with her and would have liked nothing more then to have her disappear from sight. "Go away."

"I can't do that. Not until you at least listen to me." Pam insisted, stepping further into the office and stood at his side. "It's about Allison."

"What about her?" Eric asked, his eyes seeing red at the mention of the girl's name. He was still furious that she had somehow found out about his past and wasn't even sure he wanted to hear what his child had to say.

"It was my fault. I told her about your family and Godric." Pam blurted out, grimacing as soon as the words left her mouth.

"That was you?" Eric snapped, jumping to his feet and practically diving across the desk to grab her by the shoulders. "I nearly drained her because you had to open you fucking trap and spill my entire life story. What the fuck."

"She wanted to know about you, you ass hole." Pam shot back in his face, grabbing his wrists and threw him off. "She said you wouldn't tell her anything and I know you never would do it on your own merit so I did it for you."

"That's my burden to bear, not anyone else's." Eric found himself shouting. "She didn't need to know any of this. It will just make me appear like a weak human. Now she will never look at me the same way."

"That won't be because you have pain you still carry around." Pam told him, sending a glare across the room at him while she stood up. "She won't look at you again because you scared the shit out of her."

"She said this?" Eric watched Pam nod and he frowned. "Why would she tell you that?"

"Because I apologized on your behalf for how you reacted and that's when she told me." Pam hissed, rolling her shoulders along with her eyes. "I don't care what you say, but she needed to know all this. She has a right to understand why you are such a dick all the time."

"She'll get over it." Eric huffed, sitting back down at his desk and tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair.

"I don't think it will be that easy Eric. You pushed her a little too far this time. She is terrified to be around you. So I suggest you do something about it if you want to keep her as your own." Pam grumbled on her way back out the door and left him alone in peace as he contemplated what she had just said.

* * *

**The end of the night**

"I'm going to head upstairs now. I will see you in the morning Sookie. Good night Bill." I called out to my cousin and her fiancee as I moved towards the stairs upon entering the house and began the ascent to the second floor. It had been another long night and I was ready to pass out in bed.

"Sleep well." Sookie replied, waving to me as she followed Bill through the house towards the back porch. The two of them liked to sit out there and talk sometimes when they came back here right before Bill had to leave as dawn was breaking. It was sweet that even after all this time together, they still did things like that. It made me want a relationship like that.

I sighed heavily and climbed the stairs, my footsteps the only sounds in the house as I reached the second story landing and paused to slip off my shoes before walking across the dark hallway. I flipped the lights on as I went so I could see where I was going and I stopped in the doorway of one of the spare bedrooms. It was the room I had been in when the demon attacked me and had torn it apart in the process. Only now the furniture was back in place and the broken window had been repaired just this morning before Sookie and I had gone to Merlottes. It didn't look like anything had been amiss in this room, but I knew better. It made me shiver when I looked at the floor and saw the spot where I had been thrown when the demon tried to bite me again. I could even still see a speck of blood on the carpet that no amount of scrubbing could take away. It would always be a reminder of that night, that horribly scary night that I almost thought I would die. I shook my head, maybe I would talk to Sookie about replacing the carpet in the future. But right now my thoughts were on one thing and that was getting to bed. I shut the light off in the room and padded back down the hallway towards my bedroom where I entered into the darkness and shut the door behind me. I felt along the wall for the light switch and flipped it up when my fingers touched it, bathing my room in a golden light. I dropped my bag and shoes on the short table by the door and turned to walk over to my closet, when it hit me that I wasn't alone. I nearly felt my heart explode out of my chest when my eyes landed on the tall figure dressed in black that was sitting on my bed. "Damn it Eric. What the fuck are you doing in here?"

"I was waiting for you." He said, lifting his head to look at me and I saw that his face held a serious expression that I had never seen before. But I wasn't naïve enough to believe it was real. So I kept my guard up and waited for a catch.

"You couldn't come talk to me when I was at the bar all night?" I asked, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. I stood in front of him with bare feet and my arms crossed and stared at him. "What are you here for? If you are hoping to scare me again then don't bother. You accomplished that last night. I'm still just as scared as I was when you bit me."

"That is why I am here. It's about what happened." He sighed heavily, as if trying to gear himself up to do something he did not want to do. He rubbed his hands over his face and then looked at me uneasily. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. And I didn't mean to scare you."

"Wait a second. You're apologizing?" I could feel my mouth fall open in utter shock and my arms dropped to my side. "Are you feeling ok?"

"Very funny." Eric hissed, looking angry as he narrowed his eyes. "Do not make a joke right now. Because I will never be saying this again, so you better take it while you can."

"Is this for real?" I asked, not sure if I could trust what he had to say. After all, saying the wrong thing had turned out horribly for me. Would believing him be any different?

"What makes you think I am not being sincere?" Eric shot back, crossing his arms over his broad chest and staring at me intensely.

"Because you are you. And Pam said you would never say you are sorry." I explained, reaching up to twirl my hair around my fingers. "So I don't know what to think."

"She's right in both aspects, even though I hate admitting it." He nodded, a far off look appearing in his eyes. "But I am saying to your face that I wish I had chosen to react differently."

"Alright." I relented, biting down on my bottom lip as I looked off to the side and shrugged. "I accept that meager apology and declare everything peaceful again."

"Good to know. Now come here." Eric's hands reached out into the space between us and wrapped themselves around my wrists and tugged me forward. I stumbled in front of him, my bare feet nearly tripping over each other as I found myself standing right between his knees and his face close to mine. He moved his hand upward until his fingers brushed the hair over my shoulder and exposed my neck to his eyes. I saw something shift in those blue orbs and a second later there was a flash of white as his fangs clicked out. I instinctively shot backwards when I saw them, but Eric's hands gripped me too tightly for me to move. I watched as he brought his hand to his mouth and punctured the skin on one fingertip, drawing a big droplet of blood. That's when I realized that he was intending on healing the marks on my neck. I allowed him to pull me down on one of his knees and turned my head to the side as his finger dabbed at the tiny holes in my skin. It only took a few seconds until I could feel them closing and then Eric's tongue licking over to spot to clean up any mess left behind. I pulled back from him, watching as a smirk appeared on his lips.

"Thank you." I said quietly, touching my neck and trying to stand back up, but Eric locked his arm around my waist and I had no choice but to sit there. I looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"I have something else to say to you." He told me, the seriousness from before, returning to his features and it made me pause there on his leg and watch as he struggled to spit the words out. "Now that you know everything, I want to make things clear. Just because you know my secrets doesn't mean it gives you free reign to question me about it. I do not want to speak about my family and I absolutely refuse to talk about Godric."

"I understand." I replied swallowing hard as I spoke and looked at him, placing my hands on either side of his face I forced him to met my eyes and when he did I said. "I won't ever bring it up again."

"Good." Eric nodded solemnly before another smirk broke out across his face and he pulled me closer to kiss me softly on the lips.

**A/N: So they make up again. And eric apologized, never thought i would make that happen. but this chapter was a lot of fun for me to write. I loved the sam and sookie scenes and how everyone thinks allison had sex with eric. it was too funny not to write. I also wanted to say thank you for all the responses this fic is getting. Seriously, all these reviews are making me want to write more and more. But just as a warning, this fic has only one more chapter to go before it had a mid point finale chapter...then it is going on hiatus. But who knows, i might be too inspired to keep it on hiatus..lol..please review!**


	19. Curiosity

**Chapter 19 Curiosity**

**A few days later**

"Sookie, we need to talk. Like majorly."

"Ok, what about?" She asked, turning around in the chair that was positioned in front of her mirror, while I walked into her room and sat down on her bed with my legs crossed underneath me and watched as she ran the brush through her long blonde hair. She looked at me curiously and said. "You look serious."

"I kind of am." I nodded, breathing heavily through my nose as I fidgeted nervously, trying to figure out a tactful way of bringing up the subject I needed her advice on. "I've been going over some thing in my head for a really long time and I didn't know who else to ask about it."

"It's not anything bad is it?" She questioned, frowning as she set down the brush and came over to the bed. "You're not in trouble or anything are you?"

"No no, it's nothing like that. It's um...a more personal matter." I stuttered, feeling the heat rise in my face. I couldn't believe I was sitting here, about to ask my cousin something that I knew nothing about. I never thought I would have to ask any one about this, but this situation was slightly different then normal and she was the only person I knew who had been in the same boat as I was. I glanced at her and gritted my teeth, forcing myself to blurt it out the way it sounded in my head. "I want to know about sex!"

"What?" Sookie was taken aback by my outburst and she sat back with her mouth hanging open so wide that I thought her jaw would fall off. "You...you want...you're asking me about sex?"

"Yea." I bit the inside of my mouth and wrinkled my nose at the look of disgust on her face and I didn't even have to say the name that had been making me fantasize about this very topic. I already knew what she would say about it if I were to actually speak his name, so I just ignored it. "What's it like?"

"Are you for real?" Sookie questioned, regaining her composure and twirling her hair around her fingers like I did when she didn't know how to respond. "I mean I know you told me at Merlottes that you weren't sleeping with, you know who. But I thought that was just because Sam was around and might hear. I was sure that you and... you know who I am talking about, that you guys had been, sleeping together."

"You can say Eric, it's not like its taboo or anything." I told her, rubbing my face with my hands and sighed. "No, I haven't slept with him. But I'm thinking about it."

"Ah and that is why I am the only person you can talk to about this particular subject." Sookie said in understanding and started tapping her hands on her knees. "I have to say I am surprised."

"Why?" I asked with a frown. "I have fabulous self control."

"Yea, but Eric doesn't, not really." Sookie pointed out the obvious which I had to agree with. Eric was the type of vampire that had barely any sense of control when it came to the act of sex. "So it's more that I am surprised you managed to stay a virgin even when you've been around him this much in the past few months."

"To be honest, I never really thought about sex until Eric showed up in my life. And now, lately it is all I think about. But it makes me so nervous when I actually am considering going through with it." I explained, bringing my hand up to my mouth and started chewing on one of my fingernails. "I was already nervous about doing it with a normal guy, but with a vampire? That's going to hurt so much worse. I don't know if I can handle it."

"Then maybe you should give yourself more time to think it over." She suggested, reaching out to tug my hand down from my mouth. "It's not something you want to rush into, whether its with a human or a vampire. Sex is a big deal either way, especially when it is your first time."

"Were you scared the first time?" I asked her, wrapping my arms around my legs and waited for her to respond.

"Yes I was. Really, really scared. But I had faith that what I was doing was going to turn out alright. And it did." She smiled brightly and had a look in her eyes that said she was thinking about that night. She shook her head and looked at me. "But then again, Bill is completely different from Eric, even for a vampire."

"Trust me, I haven't forgotten that." I mumbled, running my fingers through my hair. "But I still want to possibly go through with it."

"Possibly?"

"I'm very torn right now. I don't know what I want to do. One second I want to go find him and have him ravish me right then and there..."

"Eww gross, don't ever say that again."

"And then the next second, I'm terrified of what the pain is going to feel like and I freeze." I moaned to myself, dropping my head down into my hands. "What do I do? How am I supposed to make this decision?"

"I can't answer that for you. You have to decide for yourself." Sookie told me, patting me on the shoulder with a comforting touch. "I'm not Eric's biggest fan right now nor will I ever be, but if he hasn't screwed up too badly by now then I don't think he will. And that has to say something about his character."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I looked at my cousin in confusion.

"Maybe being with Eric in that way won't be as scary as you are making it out to be. He might surprise you and it could be wonderful when you actually let yourself go like that." Sookie shrugged, grabbing my hand and squeezing it. "Look at it this way. If you weren't so afraid of letting go, it wouldn't feel so amazing when you finally do."

"I don't know Sookie. I just don't know."

* * *

**Later that night**

"What's wrong pretty girl?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." Sookie told her fiancee as she sat at the kitchen table with her elbow propped up and her chin in her palm while she practically stared holes through the wall. It wasn't until Bill had spoken to her, that she realized she had been silent for almost an entire hour, and that wasn't like her.

"You don't look fine." He countered, sitting down in the chair next to her and set his bottle of True Blood down on the table top. "Come on, tell me what is going on."

"Nothing happened, if that's what you're worried about." She assured him, turning her head to meet his quizzical eyes and flipped her hair behind her. "I'm just thinking about stuff."

"You know you can talk to me about anything." Bill reminded her, his fingers dancing across the table until they wrapped around her wrist. He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles,causing her to smile. He smirked and asked. "And don't say it's nothing. You wouldn't be looking pissed and worried if it was nothing."

"Alright, it's something that Allison came to talk to me about earlier today and it kind of threw me for a loop." Sookie explained, frowning as she remembered what they had discussed. "She wanted to talk about sex and more specifically sex with Eric. She is thinking about losing her virginity to him."

"That must have been awkward considering your history with Eric." Bill stated, looking uncomfortable with this direction of conversation.

"I actually wasn't thinking about that. I was more worried about what it meant for her to suddenly be thinking about this serious kind of life step. She said she never really thought about sex until Eric and that kind of made a light bulb go off in my head and I haven't been able to focus since then." Sookie sighed, shaking her head as if her cousin was in the room. She looked at Bill who was waiting for her to finish her thought and she groaned. "This is going to sound crazy, but I think Allie is falling in love with Eric."

"Now I understand your lack of attention this evening." Bill nodded before pressing his lips together. "This bothers you, doesn't it?"

"She can't be in love with him. That's just ridiculous." Sookie exclaimed furiously, much to her fiancee's amusement.

"Why is it ridiculous?"

"Because it is Eric. She knows what he is like. And he's not capable of loving her back and he certainly doesn't deserve to have her love. She deserves better then him." Sookie snapped, feeling her mood swing wildly.

"You may think that and Allison could possibly agree with you." Bill said soothingly, moving closer to her chair and placing his hand on her knee. "But no one can help who they fall in love with. And you don't even know if she does love him."

"She doesn't have to say it, I can see it in her eyes when she talks about him." Sookie shot back, clenching her hands into fists. "It's sickening."

"You are way involved in this matter." Bill pointed out, laughing at her as she got to her feet and stomped out of the room. Before she left, he called out to her. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Never!"

* * *

**1 day later**

_"...look at that Stackhouse girl, always off day dreaming..."_

_"So Sam finally brought the brunette back. It's about time. But why is she just sitting there doing nothing?"_

_"...that Allison girl is crazy... she hasn't moved from that back table for over an hour..."_

_"I wonder what she is thinking about..."_

"You wouldn't want to know." I whispered to myself, sitting back in the booth and rubbed the sides of my temples with my fingertips, attempting to ease the ache that my thinking had caused but there was no success. It had been like this all day, just like my focus hadn't been present for the entire time I had been here at the bar. Since I couldn't go home, Sam had sat me back here and just said to keep quiet and not get into trouble. I was more then happy to simply nod and disappear into my own head since I still hadn't forgiven him for what he had said to me a few days ago. But there was a more pressing matter to attend to and its name was Eric.

Ever since my conversation with Sookie about possibly having sex with him, I had been struggling to come to terms with how I felt about being intimate with Eric. It was like a force had grabbed me by either arm and was trying to tug me in two opposite directions. It kind of left me feeling dizzy, trying to figure out what I exactly wanted out of this. I wasn't lying to my cousin when I told her I had never truly thought about sex this much until Eric. That was true, I never met anyone that brought out that side to me. But then Eric shows up and my whole line of thinking had changed. Now I was seriously considering losing my virginity to a vampire, but I didn't know if I should go through with it. I knew what people would say if they found out. The backlash from Sookie's experience with Bill had showed me that and I had no desire to endure that for myself. But then there was the part of me that just wanted to say screw it and do what I wanted. Eric was this sexy and seductive vampire who, for some reason, had set his sights on me and made me feel more desirable then I ever thought I could feel. And if I were truly honest, this was my real reason for wanting to do it. Because no man had ever looked at me the way he had.

But one of the things that was stopping me from making a final decision was the fact that I was scared shit-less of what it was going to feel like if I agreed to it. I read enough books and magazines and listened to numerous conversations about first times, so I knew to expect some pain to come with it. But that was if it had involved a regular guy, not a vampire. From what I had heard, vampires liked to have rough, primal sex with their humans and the pain threshold had to be high to be able to endue it. And I just was not sure I could take that kind of pain. It was really scared me to even think about. I tried to imagine what sex with Eric would be like and it always turned out to be the same, harsh and quick and painful. That image had been what kept me from moving forward with Eric in the past. But now I was wondering if the pain was worth it for the experience. I just didn't know. I guess I always figured my first time would be this amazing, gentle experience with someone who would think about my own comfort before his. And Eric certainly did not fit that bill. So I shouldn't even be worrying about it. He was not the person I ever envisioned my first time with and that should have been enough to scare me off the topic for good.

But it wasn't the main reason I kept on stalling. It was something else entirely. Something that I had pushed to the back of my mind ever since I started thinking about this and it was now that it came bubbling back to the surface and had me stumped all over again.

What if I disappointed him?

It wasn't the stupidest question to ask. After all it did make sense if I really thought about it. Eric had a thousand years to perfect the way he had sex and here I was about to have my first time, not knowing anything. There was no way I could possibly satisfy him. If I even made it through the actual act of sex, I highly doubted that he would enjoy it. I would be clumsy and naïve and totally unaware of how to make a man feel aroused, let alone a vampire like Eric. I would embarrass myself. I just knew I would. I wasn't like the other women I had seen him with. The beautiful girls who knew just how to touch him and speak to him to get him going. It never took them long to have him ravish them. But with me, that just wasn't going to happen. There was no confidence in me when it came to this subject. I was sure I lacked the abilities and skills needed to be a good lover, so there was no reason to even bother agreeing to this. Eric was going to laugh in my face if we were to ever get intimate. So why set myself, and ultimately him, up for disappointment?

"I really need to figure this out before it drives me crazy"

**

* * *

****At Fangtasia**

_"Really Bill, I wish you would have let me call out. I don't really think I should be here."_

_"Why not? Is something wrong?"_

_"No. Not really. I just feel uneasy tonight."_

_"Because of what you and Sookie were talking about?"_

_"She shouldn't have told you that. It was private."_

_"Your cousin was just worried about you."_

_"I don't want her to be, so maybe I should have just kept that to myself."_

Eric grinned from his chair on the floor of the bar as he heard Bill and Allison's voices join the crowds currently milling about in front of him. He looked through the sea of people and spotted the younger vampire and the brunette girl coming through the doorway together and he smirked even more. She was dressed in a form fitting deep purple dress with thin straps over her delicate shoulders and a hemline that stopped right above her knee. Her hair fell down her back in silky waves like a dark brown waterfall. She looked perfect in his eyes. He was going to raise his hand and gain their attention, but Bill spotted him first and he nodded, taking Allison by the arm and leading her through the mess of humans and vampires until they appeared in front of him.

"It's about time you showed up. I was starting to think you were going to be a no show." Eric stated sending a look at Bill before turning his attention to the girl next to him. "Hmm, very nice."

"Yea thanks." Allison replied with a short nod before she came silent and just shot her eyes to the ground. "I don't know why you ask me to dress up when I'm just going to be stuck in the back."

"It's for my amusement, I can assure you." Eric said wickedly, enjoying the moment when Bill rolled his eyes and shifted back and forth uncomfortably on his feet, but he liked it even more when he saw the redness creep up into Allison's face and she looked embarrassed.

"Please Eric, focus for a minute." Bill insisted, waving his hand in the air. "You said that we needed to speak in private tonight."

"And so we shall." Eric nodded, standing up and stepping down to the floor before looking at Allison. "We won't be long. Feel free to help yourself to anything at the bar. It's on me."

"That's nice of you." She said with a raised eyebrow and then started fighting her way towards the bar, occasionally looking over shoulder at him until she was hidden from view by the crowds. But something stood out tonight in her eyes, he just couldn't place it. It was something different. Something uncharted and unfamiliar. Bill looked up at him with a curious look on his pale face.

"What exactly has you drawn to her the way you are?" He questioned, looking up at the elder vampire suspiciously. "Is it because of what she is?"

"Be respectful tonight Bill. I would hate to have to throw you out." Eric warned him before walking through the many bodies on the floor towards the door on the wall behind the bar. "But I did say we needed to speak and we will."

"Good because I have places to be." Bill grumbled, following behind him and passing through the door first when Eric waved him forward.

"You need to relax Bill, your up-tightness is not becoming." Eric shouted at him as he cocked his head to glance down the length of the bar to where Allison was sitting talking to Pam and drinking a cosmopolitan. He watched her for a second, taking in the sight of her smooth skin and beautiful features before she must have sensed eyes on her and looked off to the side until their faces met. And then she was the one watching him. Her green eyes searched his face as if looking over him for a sign or confirmation of some sort, and then just as quickly as he saw it, it vanished and she turned back to Pam. Eric shook his head and followed after Bill, keeping the image of Allison's face in his mind.

Oh she was definitely looking at him differently. But why?

**

* * *

**

**25 minutes later**

"We have a situation here, and it needs to be rectified right away."

"Use smaller words Bill, your vast vocabulary makes me nervous." Eric shot back with a smirk as they sat in his office and stared at each other as they had for almost 30 minutes.

"This is not a time for your jokes Eric. It's serious." The younger vampire insisted, setting down his bottle of true blood and leaned forward with a frown. "Or do you not care about Allison's safety anymore?"

"If I didn't care then I wouldn't have body guards on her at all hours of the day." Eric found himself defending his feelings for the tiny brunette. Yes he would admit to himself and to himself only, that there was something there but no one would ever hear him say it.

"Then focus on the matter at hand." Bill hissed, rolling his eyes as he sat back and shook his head. "I'm concerned."

"Obviously."

"This demon has attacked twice now and each time it is getting more and more dangerous. And we haven't even come close to destroying it." Bill said, pressing his mouth together tightly. "And we don't know if it is going to show up again any time soon."

"That's why one of us is always there at night." Eric reminded him, thinking about the plan. "Which comes to my own point. I will watch the house tonight. You should take Sookie to your house and keep her there. If the demon randomly shows its face, then it is best if they are separated. It will keep them both safe."

"Then why not have them both stay with me? The demon won't think to find her there." Bill suggested.

"The whole point is to draw the demon out in to the open so we have the slightest chance to kill it. And we stand the best chance if it is at her house."

"It's almost like you are using her for bait."

"Not really. Just an opportunity to get rid of this creature once and for all."

"How chivalrous of you."

"I know." Eric nodded with a smirk, leaning forward to lay his arms on the desk top and looked at Bill. "So we have an understanding? You will follow my orders for tonight?"

"If you think it is for the best..." Bill started to say but Eric beat him to the punch.

"I do."

"Ok then, your word is law." Bill agreed.

"Actually it is, considering I am the sheriff of this area." Eric pointed out to him which only made the other vampire roll his eyes in disgust.

"It's good to see you haven't lost your sense of superiority in this rough time." Bill said sarcastically, picking up his bottle of blood and took a long deep sip as silence filled the air. The two of them sat there staring at each other as if to silent communicate a thought they were both thinking. Bill was the first one to speak, though. "Do you have any leads on where this demon hybrid is coming from or who sent it?"

"Nothing yet, but I assume all will reveal itself in due time. Perhaps sooner then we think."

* * *

**On the drive home**

"You didn't have to take me home. I could have gotten a ride from Bill." I told Eric at the end of the night when he insisted on driving me back to Bon Temps himself and was walking me out to his car parked behind the bar, just outside the back entrance. I don't know what was up with Eric tonight, he must have been in a good mood or something by telling me my drinks were on him and driving me home and now opening the door for me like a normal guy would. It was kind of nice.

"It just makes sense for me to do it since I will be the one guarding the house tonight." He explained, slamming the door shut and whipping around the car and sliding behind the wheel with a flash that made my breathe pause. "Your cousin is staying at Bill's for the night, so it will just be us."

"Oh...ok." I managed to get out as he turned the key in the ignition and started backing the car out of it's spot and turned it onto the highway towards my home town. I felt myself finding comfort in the darkness of the interior which hadn't happened much over the course of the night. And even now I was feeling strange after him mentioning that we were going to be at the house alone.

"Why are you feeling scared?" He asked suddenly, his hand appearing on my crossed legs and I shivered at his touch, but not from the temperature of his skin.

"I'm not scared." I denied, turning my head to look at him. "I'm just tired, it was a long night."

"I felt you just now and that wasn't exhaustion, it was fear." He protested, his finger tracing the skin on my knee absentmindedly. "So tell me what is the matter."

"Uh...I um..." I struggled to come up with a good, plausible lie. I couldn't tell him straight out that the reason I was feeling scared was because I was nervous about what would happen when we were alone in the house together. If he wasn't already thinking about sex, then I wasn't going to put the idea back into his head. So I had to come up with something. So I went for the obvious. "I've just been worried about this demon."

"Do you doubt my ability to keep you safe?" Eric questioned, sounding almost insulted by my statement.

"No, of course not." I backtracked quickly before he lost it. "I know you are doing everything you can to keep me alive. But I do have a right to be scared. I have no idea why this thing is hunting me or why someone would want me dead in the first place. And until things are figured out, I'm going to be nervous."

"Don't fret, it's all going to come to an end." Eric told me confidently, only this time it wasn't his usual cockiness speaking, it was just certainty.

"I hope you're right." I replied, biting the inside of my lip and sat back in my seat to watch the road go by and tried to imagine what the rest of the night would bring.

**

* * *

****20 minutes later**

"I will be here all night to keep watch, so you don't have to worry. That demon will not get to you again." Eric told Allison when he dropped her off inside the house. They were standing in the hallway just inside the front door staring at each other and once again Eric was struck by the fact that she was looking at him differently. He still couldn't place it, she had never had this expression before. A mixture of nerves and something else.

"Um...will you come upstairs with me?" She asked, tilting her head back to look at him as she stepped out of her heels and bent down to pick them up. "I just want to make sure the demon isn't hiding up there or any thing."

"If you insist." Eric agreed, fighting the urge to roll his eyes as they headed towards the staircase. Even before they took the first step, he felt her slip her hand into his, taking him completely by surprise as they moved up to the second floor together. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had done this simple act and it made him feel slightly uncomfortable. It was an all too human moment, one that he hadn't experienced in a very long time. But still, as weird as it felt, he didn't shrug off her touch and just allowed her to walk close to him as they reached the landing and flipped on the light in the hallway. Nothing was amiss and he used his heightened senses to feel out the rest of the house and was satisfied to realize that it was free of any supernatural creature except for himself. She continued holding onto him until they reached her bedroom and she flicked on the light, bathing it in a golden glow. She let go of him to drop her shoes and bag on the floor and then confused him when she shut and locked the door and stood against it with a look of apprehension on her face. He couldn't read her at the moment, she had sealed off their bond, which she had never done before. He frowned, crossing his leather jacket covered arms over his chest and said. "What's going on?"

"Are you in a good mood?" She asked, tucking her hair behind her ears and clasping her hands together nervously.

"For the moment." He answered, wondering what this was all about.

"Then I need a favor from you." She said looking at him through her green eyes, stepping forward until she was in front of him. She brought her hands hesitantly to his waist, her fingers gripping his hips as she glanced at him uncertainly. "Will you do that for me?"

"It depends on what it..."Eric was going to say but she cut him off by moving her hands up his chest until they reached his neck and tugged him forward so their lips met. He was taken aback by this sudden display from her, but he wasn't complaining, he actually kind of liked it. He brought his hands up to her face, feeling her soft skin dance under his fingers and tasted the sweetness from her lips. Her kiss had always been intoxicating, breath-taking even with him being a vampire. But something was different about tonight's kiss, it was more primal, more urgent then the ones before. It was then that it hit him, and he realized what the emotion was that he had been feeling from her, the reason she had been looking at him differently all night and the urgency between them. He pulled back from her and looked down at her anxious face and asked. "What is it that you want from me?"

"Don't laugh at me when I say this, but will..." Allison looked down, her words trailing off as she appeared to lose confidence in what she was going to say. Her hands had fallen down, taking place at her sides, but he hadn't let her go just yet. She refused to look at him until he moved his hand and cupped her chin, leaving her no choice but to meet his eye. He stared at her, willing her to say what was on her mind. She looked back at him and sighed heavily, before saying the words that truly shocked him for the first time in a thousand years. "Will you make love to me?"

Eric, for the first time in his life, was at a loss for words. But he was able to answer her by pulling her up into his arms so their faces were level and kissed her again. Her arms were circled around his shoulders, but they soon dropped away, when he walked across the room and threw her on the bed with a smirk before diving on top of her.


	20. The Turning Point

**Chapter 20 The Turning Point**

**2 hours later**

"Are you ok?" Eric asked me as we laid there side by side on my bed after being in silence for the past 15 minutes. He had pulled the sheets over our naked bodies and was now looking down at me from where he had propped himself up on his elbow and was searching my face for any sign of a reaction. I couldn't read the expression on his face, but I guess he had grown curious, if not worried, when I didn't say anything after he had rolled off me. I could only lay there, with the sheets tucked under my arms and my hands closed into fists on the bed beside me while I stared around my room and at him with wide eyes. I could feel the mattress shift as he moved and then I felt his fingers go under my chin and direct my face towards him. His pale face hovered over me and his blue eyes gazed down at me curious as he asked again. "Are you ok?"

"I...um...I'm..."I couldn't quite find the words to describe how I was feeling at that moment. I think I was still in shock over what had just happened between us and couldn't even formulate a full sentence. I lifted the sheets and looked down at my now experienced body and took in the sight of the bruises covering my skin from the waist down, only this time it didn't make me cringe in pain. Because my slight injuries weren't put there by violence. They had happened in the course of the two hours that Eric and I had made love for the first time. They were symbols of the fact that I was now truly a woman who knew what it felt like to lie next to a man with no clothes on and think about the feelings that had surged through both our bodies when we had moved together as one. It was a feeling that was both wonderful and terrifying at the same time because of the magnitude it had brought to our lives. I dropped the sheets back over me and finally looked at Eric for the first time since we had separated and attempted to ease the tension I knew we both were feeling now. "I think I'm ok."

"You were quiet for a very long time." Eric observed, his hand moving down my arm as he frowned. "I thought for once, I hadn't satisfied a woman completely. That would have been a first for me in all my years."

"That's not it. I was satisfied, more then you can imagine." I told him, feeling my face flush as I said this and I tried to look away but he quickly moved his hand back under my chin and kept me staring at him. "It just...wasn't what I was expecting. That's all."

"And what were you expecting?" Eric questioned me, a smirk appearing on his lips as he traced a circle on my neck around the fang marks he had made not too long ago. His touch was gentle for once and it made me feel at ease. I could feel myself relaxing as he continued to stroke my skin, leaving a cooling sensation in its wake. I rolled over on my stomach, the sheets falling down to my waist and leaving my back bare to his eyes. His hand moved down my spine, tickling me in places I never knew I could feel that attuned to and it made me smile. I laid my head on my arms and closed my eyes as he kept on walking his fingertips up my back.

"I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that." I whispered as my head started replaying the moment that I knew would stay with me forever...

_"I don't know if I can do this Eric." I said quietly as I sat back up on my bed and swung my legs down to the floor and stood up to face him. He was sitting there on the edge, watching me with this unreadable expression in his eyes while my heart continued to beat rapidly and wildly inside of my chest.. I twisted my arms around my body, hoping that the tightness of holding myself would calm my nerves over what I had just asked him to do. "I'm scared."_

_"Do not fear me, I will not hurt you." He whispered, reaching out with his long arm and wrapping his hand around my elbow to tug me forward until I was standing right between his legs. His hand cupped my face, forcing me to meet his eyes and I was shocked to see a look of vulnerability there. His thumb traced a circle on my cheek, his touch much more tender that I thought he was capable of. He leaned his forehead against mine, his lips brushing against the tip of my nose and his cool breath chilling my eyelashes when he opened his mouth to speak again. "Trust me."_

_"Ok." I nodded, my lips shaking as I spoke, but they became steady as he lowered his head and gently kissed me. The taste of his mouth started calming my frazzled nerves almost instantly and I unlocked my arms and my hands went to his shoulders to hold on. I had to close my eyes, his kiss becoming more intoxicating the longer it went on and it made me dizzy. He tightened his grip on me, his hand holding my hip while his fingers traveled up behind me and reached for the zipper on my dress. I felt a flash of panic hit me, but I tried to ignore it as he slowly drew the zipper down the length of my body. He then moved both of his hands to my __shoulders and slipped the thin straps over my arms until the dress fell down to my feet and I was standing there in front of him in a pair of black panties and a strapless black bra. Eric then took both of my hands and placed them on his waist before looking up at me with a wicked smile._

_"It's ok, you're allowed to touch me." His voice barely above a whisper and sounding much different then what I was used to. But I could tell he was being sincere and I hesitantly fingered the hem of his black t-shirt, toying with the image of what he looked like underneath. I decided right then and there that I needed to know and that's when I grabbed the bottom of the shirt and drew it upward, pulling it off of his body and tossing it on the floor of my bedroom. His chest was even better looking naked and I couldn't help but rub my hands up and down his midsection, his skin feeling cool and hard against my own skin. Eric laughed and grabbed my small hips in his large hands, his fingers hooking around the sides of my underwear. "You have no idea how intoxicating you are."_

_"I am?" I asked, but he didn't allow me to speak again, because his lips silenced me and his hands started roaming all over my body, setting my skin on fire._

_I could barely breathe as his fingers pulled my panties down my legs until they got caught on my ankles and he had to lean down and lift my feet up one by one to remove them. When he sat back up, he moved forward until his mouth met the base of my neck and he began sucking on the skin there. I threw my head back in surprise, never imagining that it would feel that wonderful. Eric reached behind me again and this time he was removing the last piece of clothing that kept me from being completely naked to his eyes. He threw my bra across the room without even breaking his kiss and returned both hands to my bare skin. I pulled back to look at him and watched as his face searched my body, his lips curling upward the longer he looked at me. I thought I would feel self conscious, but I didn't. If anything, the way he was looking at me made me feel desirable, something I never felt before in my life. It even made me smile when he stood up and towered over me before he started moving his hands to the belt on his black pants. He never took his eyes off me as he unzipped his pants and lowered them to the floor, his boxers following soon after and he too was standing there naked. I dropped my head down and I could feel my eyes widen so much that it began to hurt. I shot my head back up to see the playful smirk on his lips as he saw how surprised I was at his size. That's when the nerves started to creep back into me and my lips started to shake when I tried to control my breathing._

_Eric stepped forward and leaned down in front of me, his hands running down the length of my legs until they encircled behind my knees and he stood back up suddenly and I found myself yanked into the air right against his chest with my legs around his waist and our faces level with one another. I could smell his scent as his face came near and captured my lips again. There was something stomach turning about the way he kissed me, it was like a bunch of butterflies were flying around excitedly inside of my midsection and it made me feel like I was spinning rapidly in place. He held me there with one arm as he reached down and tossed back the blankets on my bed, and then in a flash, he had laid me down and was on top of me. He held his body above me, with his hands planted on either side of my shoulders and his eyes holding mine with an intensity that made me swallow hard. I reached up with my hands, wrapping them around the back of his neck and pulled him down. I needed to feel him on me and he relented, easing his weight on top of me until I could feel no space between us. His breath was on my cheek as his fingers traveled up and got lost in my hair. I felt a wave of tingles explode over the surface of my skin when I felt him move against me and I found my body responding to his touch. My hands traveled down his naked back, taking in the beautiful sculpture that was his body and was amazed that I had held out this long. Eric's tongue ran down the length of my neck, to my breast, teasing me mercilessly until I couldn't take it anymore and I felt his lips encircle my nipple, sucking on the skin in just the right way that had me squirming underneath him. I ran my hands through his short blonde hair, causing him to look up at me and his blue eyes took away every ounce of fear I had. He moved his body back up until our faces were level and then he reached down between us with his hand. I felt his fingers move passed my thighs and part my legs before stroking me in places that I had never been touched by a man. I almost was thrown over the edge at that point, but I reigned myself in, arching my back into him, which only made his reaction that much more pleasurable. He lifted his weight off me for a second, his eyes meeting mine and silently communicated if I was prepared for what he was about to do. I nodded, not able to speak even one word, but he got the message and the next second, I felt him shift and slide into me, taking the last breath I had and causing me to cry out loud. The pain was nothing like I imagined and I nearly cried when he settled his weight on top of me, closing the remaining space between us. I turned my head to the side, not wanting him to see me with tears in my eyes, but he quickly brought his hand to my cheek and made me look at him._

_"The pain will be over soon enough and you will get used to it. I promise." He said quietly, moving his other hand up my arm until our hands were __intertwined together. I glanced over, noticing how natural it looked to see us holding hands and I turned my attention back to his face and he leaned down to kiss my lips. "Just...stay with me."_

_"Ok." I managed to whisper, bringing a smile to his face that was void of any mocking or teasing. He looked almost human to me right then as he slowly started to move his hips against me. The pain was sharp and I had to bite down on my bottom lip to stop from crying again. But Eric's words rang true, the pain started easing within a few minutes and I gradually felt a new sensation start to spread through my body. The rush was so quick and amazing that it took me by surprise and I had to bring myself back to the present before I lost myself in it. I wrapped my legs around Eric's waist and started moving my body in sync with his, the sound coming from deep inside his chest when I did this only made me want to hear it again. I arched my back even harder, trying to move my lower half even more intimately against him and he sat up straight, bringing me with him until we were face to face again. My hair tumbled in front of my eyes but Eric reached up and tucked it away behind my ears before pressing his mouth against my neck again. I felt my head tip backwards in ecstasy, my hands gripping his broad shoulders as his tongue licked my skin and brought it to life. I couldn't hear anything beside the sounds of our breathing and moans as we moved together in the middle of the bed. But a second later, a new noise met my ears, it was the sound of his fangs clicking out and I instinctively pulled away from him. I swallowed nervously when I saw his fangs gleaming at me from underneath his perfect lips and I wasn't sure what I wanted to happen. I felt Eric's eyes on me and I looked at him and saw the desire and hunger peaking in his blue orbs, he wanted me desperately at that moment. I touched my finger to one of his teeth, feeling the sharp point of it graze my skin and I remembered how he had bitten me out of anger before. It made me fear that it was going to be like that again. But when I directed my gaze back to Eric, he was staring at me with lust filling every part of his features and that made me forget my inhibitions. I touched my hands to the side of his face and pulled him forward again so his lips were right at my neck. I gripped his shoulders with my hands and whispered. "Go ahead, feed from me."_

_And he did. His fangs pierced my skin and began drawing the blood from my veins before I had a second to reaction. It was not as harsh as it had been the first time he drank my blood, it still hurt but it was nothing compared to the pain when he had bitten me in the kitchen last week. I started getting used to it and even found myself forgetting about it when I started moving against him. He moaned loudly, satisfaction filling his voice as he continued to feed on me. I __wrapped my arms around him, feeling a pressure start to build up deep within me and I moved even more rapidly with him. His hands gripped my hips tightly as he pulled his fangs out of my neck and licked the blood from his lips. I saw the tiniest hint of pure joy in his eyes before my vision clouded over and I was taken hold by something that had never gone through my body before._

_"Oh Eric." I cried out loud, grabbing his arms so tightly that my fingers started to hurt, but that was quickly swallowed up by the feeling that exploded in my chest when he spoke._

_"Oh Allison." He breathed, falling backwards with me back on the bed and he buried his face in my neck as we both rode out our joined pleasure. I could barely feel the rest of my body as he laid there on top me and I struggled to catch my breath as silence fell on us and our bodies went still. _

_My eyes were still closed and my mouth open as he rolled off of me and took his place at my side, making sure to reach down and pull the blankets and sheets over us. I dropped my hands from his shoulders and opened my eyes, feeling my vision clearing and his face coming into focus. I felt his hands travel down my body, taking in the bruises that I was already starting to feel appear on my skin and gently kissed each spot before moving back up again. He tucked the blankets around me before propping himself up on his elbow and looking down at me, waiting for me to respond. Only I didn't. And I wouldn't say anything for almost a half hour because I was still trying to steady myself from the life changing experience that I had just had. I didn't feel like my old self. I felt different, stronger and more empowered then I ever had before. There was strength flowing through me right at this moment and it was going to take some getting used to before I could put it into words how truly amazing it had made me feel..._

"Yea, I definitely wasn't expecting that." I told him, coming out of my cloud of thoughts and focusing on his face again. I found myself smiling as I pushed myself up on my elbows and pulled my hair over my shoulder to twirl it around my fingers. "It was surprising, that's for sure."

"And why is that?" He asked, a smirk making it's way to his lips as he reached over and placed his hand on my lower back. "Did you not have faith that I could please you?"

"I knew you could do that, that wasn't what surprised me." I said, sitting up and pulling the blankets around me and tucking the ends under my arms. I looked at Eric, smiling at the way his normally tamed hair was hanging across his forehead and shrugged. "I just couldn't imagine you could be so gentle with me. I thought you would have have been rough and mean, but you weren't. You were gentle and nice and even sweet. That's not you."

"I agree, it's definitely not me." Eric nodded, sitting up against the backboard and setting the sheets around his hips. He reached over and trailed a finger down my neck, touching the marks in my skin and smirked. "But there is a reason for why I held back."

"What would that be?" I asked, leaning into his hand as he caressed my skin and wondered what he was going to say. But what he said next took me completely by surprise.

"Because I knew you were a virgin." He stated, causing me to pull away in shock and stare at him. I felt my entire body shudder when I realized he had known the secret I had kept from everyone. Eric found my response amusing and he chuckled. "I knew it all along, I could sense it in your blood when I was around you. And I especially knew it when I feed from you last week. I could taste your innocence in your blood and I knew I had to not be myself when this happened."

"So you held back to make it a perfect first time for me." I whispered, my hand covering my mouth as tears sprang to my eyes. I had to turn away from him and bury my face in my hands so he couldn't see me cry. It was almost too much for me to take right now. It was a jolt to my system to have him admit that he knew it was my first time and he didn't want to hurt me. He had held back what was natural for him, in order to make sure I was ok and that was the sweetest thing I had ever seen him do. I dropped my hands to my lap and found him watching me curiously. I moved closer to him and brought my hand to his face, my thumb stroking his cool skin as I leaned in and pressed my lips to his mouth. It was the most passion filled kiss I had ever laid on him and when I sat back, I saw his eyes were filled with desire again. I couldn't help but grin as I sat there and watched him. "Thank you. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect night."

"I won't ever be caught saying this again, but you're very welcome." He told me, the familiar smirk returning to his eyes. "And it's about time you gave yourself to me. I was starting to wonder if I would ever get any action."

"I can't believe I managed to put if off for so long, especially considering how amazing it was." I stated, running my hands through my hair and tightening the sheets around me. "But I guess fear and uncertainty will do that to you."

"Care to explain that one?" Eric asked, putting his hands behind his head as he looked at me.

"It's stupid, but I guess the reason I put off the whole sex thing for so long was because I never met anyone that made me consider it before, at least not until you came along. And then when I started thinking about doing it with you and how my first time would be with a vampire, I was starting to get scared. I wasn't sure I could be good at this." I explained, shrugging my bare shoulders and looking down at my lap. I traced a circle over a spot on the sheets that had been stained by blood when Eric bit me and sighed. "I just...i didn't want to disappoint you. You know...with my lack of experience."

"The only way it could have disappointed me was if you hadn't trusted me enough to go through with it." Eric said, removing his hands from behind his head and reached for me. I went to him willingly and settled my cheek against his chest, tucking the sheets around both us. His hand went to my lower back again and he said in the most human sounding voice ever. "There is nothing better then a first time. That's one of the most satisfying things to a vampire. To know that they are the first ones to ravish your body before a human male could do it. There is no greater thrill."

"So I did ok?" I asked, tilting my head to look at him and he just rolled his eyes at me. "I'm being serious here."

"You couldn't have been any better then if you were a vampire yourself." Eric responded, bringing me back down to his chest and casually wrapped his arm around my waist, making me feel more alive then I ever thought possible.

* * *

**25 minutes later**

"Do you really need to leave?" Allison asked him as he sat on the edge of her bed and finished pulling the rest of his clothing on. He turned back to look at her, satisfied that she had chosen to remain wrapped up in the sheets and yanked his shirt down into place.

"Trust me, if I could, I would stay up here till dawn ravishing that little body of yours." He told her, grinning widely when a blush spread across her face and she looked away from him shyly. "But I did say I was going to keep watch tonight and if I stay here then my focus will not be on keeping you safe and something could get by me. So I need to be outside and away from you."

"Well that just sucks." She commented, narrowing her eyes and sighed heavily as she glanced at him. "But I guess it is for the best."

"Don't look so disappointed. There will be other nights, many many other nights." He spoke, sounding so sure that she looked up with a serene smile on her lips. He turned his body and encircled her waist with his arm and pulled her around in front of him and into his lap. She was so light and he could move her easily and when she was in his arms, he touched her face with his hand and she responded to his touch almost instinctively. It was then that he caught sight of the fang marks on her neck and he frowned. "But first I need to heal those bites."

"No." She said simply, grabbing his arm before he could bring it to his mouth. She shook her head and kept her hands around his wrist to keep him from biting into his own flesh. "I don't want you to heal them."

"You do know that people will see them and know instantly what we did. And as far as I remember, people around here aren't too thrilled when their neighbors have sex with vampires." Eric reminded her, secretly thrilled that she had stopped him. "Your friends won't be too kind when they see those fang marks."

"I don't care. They can think what they want. I'm not worried about what they think." Allison said, her normally meek voice sounding stubborn as she sat there in his lap. She reached up and touched her neck and grinned. "I'm not ashamed of what happened between us. And I refuse to hide any evidence that proves what we did."

"Hmm, you humans can still surprise us after all." Eric stated, standing up and setting her back on her feet. He looked down at her, touching her bare shoulders and fighting the urge to throw her back on the bed. "I have to leave you here now."

"Ok." She agreed, twirling her long hair around her fingers and smiling up at him. "Good night Eric."

"Oh, it has been a great night." He retorted, placing his hand on her cheek and pulling her into his arms. She immediately rose to her toes, meeting his face as he bent down to kiss her and he felt something hit him when she pressed her lips against his. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was intense and something he definitely had not felt ever before in his life, human or vampire. When they separated, he watched her for the briefest of seconds, taking in the expression of pure delight on her face before he stepped back and walked towards the door. He unlocked it and entered the hallway, but before he got to the top of the staircase, he looked over his shoulder and into the bedroom to see Allison still watching him. He paused with his hand on the banister and stared at her. Even now, with the whole act of sex behind them, he couldn't help but think there was still something about her that drew him in like no other. It baffled him and he hoped one day, he could figure out what it all meant. Until then, he was perfectly content with repeating this night many times over. Many, many times.

**

* * *

**

**The next morning**

"Are you ok?" Sookie asked her cousin when the brunette entered the kitchen that morning and sat down at the table while she stood at the stove and finished making breakfast. "You were walking kind of funny."

"Oh I am fine. Perfectly fine." Allison said, almost gushing as she spoke and she wore this ridiculous smile on her face that made Sookie suspicious and she turned off the stove and set aside the frying pan before turning around and looked at the girl with her hands on her hips. Allison innocently looked back at her as she tapped her fingers on the table. "What?"

"You know, the last time I saw someone walking that way it was me and I had just had sex with Bill." Sookie pointed out, tossing down the dish towel she had hung over her shoulder and walked across the kitchen. She sat down at the table and frowned. "Now that couldn't be relevant, could it?"

"You know, it's funny that you say that because that is exactly what I came down to tell you." Allison replied, repeatedly running her hands through her hair while trying to stop the huge smile that kept flashing across her face. Sookie didn't even think about trying to open the bond she had closed off, she already knew what her cousin's reply was going to be. Allison looked right at her and said. "I had sex with Eric."

"Excuse me." Sookie managed to spit out, trying not to sound as shocked as she felt. Even though she knew this was a possibility, it still took her by surprise. "What did you say?"

"I had sex with Eric. Last night. In my bed. For two hours." Allison said, barely formulating a sentence as she spoke in staccato. She clasped her hand over her mouth and gasped, as if suddenly realizing how she sounded. Her eyes immediately grew wide with worry. "Oh shit, it wasn't supposed to come out like that."

"Uh, I don't think there is any way other to say it, then just the obvious." Sookie pointed, trying not to grimace when she opened her mouth, but she was finding it very hard to do. Luckily she had many years of practice in perfecting her poker face, so to Allison, she was completely calm.

"So...go ahead. Say what we both know you want to say." Allison told her, biting her bottom lip and tucking her hands under her arms. "I know you are probably going to say that I made a mistake..."

"Well actually I was going to ask if you were ok." Sookie countered, putting on a fake smile as she looked at her cousin. "That was kind of a big step you took and it was with a vampire. I just wanted to make sure you were ok and nothing was wrong."

"Really? You're not going to lecture me about this?" Allison asked, her surprise evident in her eyes. She moved to the edge of her seat and leaned forward. "Because I know you have an opinion and concerns about it and I..."

"My only concern is that it was right for you and that's it." Sookie lied through gritted teeth, but it came out sounding sincere. "Besides, I'm hardly a person that can judge anyone. I also lost my virginity to a vampire and if I were to give you a hard time about it, it would just make me a hypocrite."

"That's really big of you." She said, reaching out to take her hand with a smile. "I was worried about your reaction."

"Well don't be. As long as you are happy with what happens between you and Eric then I am happy for you. I love you so much and if he is what makes you feel special, then I am ok with that. Just as long as you do what you want."

"Oh Sookie, that means so much to me." Allison replied, choking up with tears and Sookie stood up and pulled her cousin into her arms for a much needed hug. The younger girl wrapped her arms around her tightly and they stood there in the kitchen in silence before Allison pulled back and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands. "Oh man this has been an emotional couple of hours."

"You get used to it." Sookie said, trying her hardest to sound genuinely happy for the girl, but she was fighting within herself the intense need to grab her cousin by the shoulders and shake her to stop her from making a mistake. Because being this tied to Eric Northman was going to bring nothing but trouble. That man lived and breathed trouble and only bad things were going to come of this if Allison stayed with him. But it was too late now. Allison had made crossed that line, from which there was no coming back from. It was the point of no return and there was nothing that could be done about it. The future was set in stone and Sookie could only sit back and hope that it turned out alright. For everyone's sake she hoped that Eric didn't mess this up. And she mostly hoped it turned out alright for Allison. That girl did not need more pain in her life.

* * *

**A few hours later**

"This ache is annoying, but oh so worth it." I giggled to myself as I walked downstairs and looked out into the yard to where the construction guys were filling in the potholes in the road at the end of our driveway. On a normal day, I wouldn't hesitate to take a second glance at some of the younger men working not too far away from my house, but today there was only one man on my mind and his name was Eric Northman. I turned from the window and walked into the living room and dropped down onto the sofa with a sigh, happy to be alone for once. Sookie had left for work only 10 minutes ago and she made me promise to be careful about where I went today since no one was able to look out for me. Sam was super busy at the bar and Sookie was going to be there all day working and obviously Bill and Eric were resting so they would be of no help, but I was pretty certain I could handle myself for one day. After all, it was full on sunny out and people were all over the place today in Bon Temps, if anything were to happen, someone would hear me and come to my rescue. As long as I stuck around town, then nothing would happen to me. And that was a nice feeling. I had been cooped up in the house or at Merlottes and watched over night and day. It was starting to make me feel like a prisoner and I was glad to be able to have this time to myself for once. And I had a lot to think about.

"I can't wait to see Eric again." I said out loud to the silent room and wished it was already night time. I had only been separated from Eric for a short time and I was already dying to see him. My body ached for him in a way that I was completely unaware I could feel and I had to twist my legs around each other to ease the desire I was feeling the longer I thought about him

"Maybe I will go for a walk to relax myself. If I stay in this house then I will do something that would attract the attention of every guy out on that road." I whispered, laughing to myself at how silly I had gotten just from the events of the night before.

I got up from the sofa and went over to the door to pull on the sneakers I had left there on the mat. Once the laces were tied, I picked up my cell phone and slipped it in the back pocket of my jeans and went out the front door, locking it and hiding my key under the potted plants sitting on the bench out on the porch. I headed down the graveled driveway towards the road where I planned on walking towards town. I pulled the sleeves of my long sleeved gray shirt down and held onto the fabric with my thumb as I tucked my arms around myself. My long hair bounced down my back, blowing slightly in the chill wind that was whipping through the air and I headed in the opposite direction of where the construction crew was working. A lot of cars passed me and some of them even honked and waved at me when they went by. I even found myself smiling and waving back, my mood as high as it ever has been before. It was a curious kind of feeling, I never was this cheerful in my life. Normally when people came across me and I heard their thoughts, it put me in a bad mood and whenever I saw them again, I would instantly start to frown. But not today. I saw a lot of people who constantly thought mean things about me and my family and any other time I would have turned around and gone home. But this morning I was calling out hellos and greetings like I was a freaking girl scout. This was so not me. I mean, I wasn't exactly a negative person, but I wasn't usually sunny and positive like I was now. Something had changed in me and it was a change that I still had to get used to but I was actually starting to like.

"Maybe I should walk on over to Merlottes and talk to Sam today. It might be a good thing to make peace with him once and for all." I said to myself as I kicked at a rock by my foot and looked up at the sun shinning through the tree branches hanging over the road. It was a beautiful morning to make amends and that's what I was going to do. Today was going to end well for me, I just knew it. And tonight was going to be even better.

* * *

**At Merlottes**

"Sam? Can we talk for a second? It's important." Sookie said to her boss later that day as they finished tending to the lunch rush and were now standing in the back folding napkins and utensils. She had been fighting with herself over whether to tell him about Allison and Eric and had just decided to keep it a secret when she got a text from Allison, informing her she would be stopping by the bar in a little bit. And the more Sookie thought about it, the more it seemed like a better idea to give Sam a heads up about what was going to happen. She knew he would be upset when he was told about Allison's escapades from the night before, but it was best if he got the news before she arrived so he wouldn't throw a fit in public and embarrass himself. She just didn't want him and Allison to end up in a fight again. And if that meant having his anger being taken out on her, then so be it. She loved Allison that much.

"Sure, what's it about?" Sam wondered as he walked over to her and dropped a stack of napkins on the counter in front of them. "You look worried."

"I wouldn't say worried, just a little nervous about what I want to talk to you about. Follow me out back, I don't want to talk about it here." Sookie told him, motioning with her hand as she walked down the back hallway and out the door that lead to the area behind the bar where there was nothing but the dumpsters and Sam's truck in sight. Sam walked out behind her and let the door fall shut with a soft thud as they turned and faced each other.

"No one died did they?" He asked, his voice rising in panic. "Is someone hurt? Are you ok? Is Allison ok? What's..."

"Sam calm down. Everyone is ok and no one died so please relax." Sookie begged of him, placing her hand on his shoulder and squeezing until he began to look more at ease. "But I need you to remain calm when I tell you what I'm thinking."

"Ok ok, I am calm. Go ahead and talk." Sam urged her, waving his hands in the air.

"I think you need to give up on hoping for any kind of a relationship with Allison. It's not going to work out and you should move on." She blurted out, watching as her words hit him and his face twisted into a frown.

"Why would you say something like that?" He asked, glaring at her with his hazel eyes already starting to fill with anger.

"Its not because I don't think you would be good for her because I do. You know I love you Sam and I would rather have you be with Allison then have her involved with a vampire. But that's just it, she is involved with a vampire and I don't think that is going to change and I don't want you to get hurt." Sookie explained, walking across the dirt clearing and sat down on the back bumper of his truck with a sigh. "She wants Eric."

"She'll get over it." Sam insisted joining her on the car and set his hands on his knees, looking determined. "She will see that there is no real future with him and when she realizes that I am the better match for her, she will come back to me and forget all about Eric. There is still time..."

"Sam, you're not getting it. She's not going to chose you and that will never change. She wants Eric and she has him. It's not going to end any differently." Sookie exclaimed, feeling bad about how harsh her words sounded, but Sam was getting himself all worked up, thinking there was a chance for him and Allison when there wasn't. She didn't want to lie to him and being brutally honest was the only way to get it through his head that him and Allison would never happen. "She's officially with Eric now, they slept together last night."

"Son of a bitch." Sam growled, jumping up from the car and immediately began pounding his fists into the bumper. "God damn it!"

"Sam don't, you'll break your hand." Sookie hissed, grabbing his arm when he was preparing to bring it down again and pulled him away from the vehicle. "I know you're upset, but hurting yourself isn't going to solve anything."

"Yea but it would make me feel a whole lot fucking better." He snapped, ripping his arm away from her and walking away a few feet with his hands on his hips and his head hung low. She watched him stand there staring at the trees and waited for him to say something. When he reacted like this, it was best to keep silent until he spoke. And sure enough, only a few minutes of silence passed before he turned around and looked at her with the most heartbreaking and disappointed expression she had ever seen him wear. He sighed heavily and scratched the back of his head before asking. "She really slept with him?"

"Yea." Sookie answered with a sympathetic frown. She stuffed her hands in her apron pocket and walked slowly forward. "She's coming over here in a little while and I thought it would be better to prepare you because I think that she was going to tell you about it.'

"Well thanks for the heads up." He shrugged, his shoulders heavy with disappointment. "Is it insane of me to wish that it had been me?"

"Not at all. I know you care about her and like I said, I would rather you be with her then Eric, but she made her own decision and she is sticking to it. I'm really sorry." Sookie said, reaching out to him and squeezing his arm. "I know how much you wanted her to chose you."

"She's in love with him isn't she?" Sam suddenly demanded, turning his eyes to meet hers and she felt even more pity for the man when he answered his own question. He simply sneered and shook his head. "He's going to hurt her and she is blindly giving herself to him."

"I don't know , but I can see it in her face that she is falling in love with him. She just doesn't know it herself yet." Sookie told him, wishing it weren't true but there was nothing she could do about it. Allison was a grown woman who was making her own choices, whether right or wrong and Sookie couldn't force her to do anything she didn't want to do. "Please don't chew her out for this Sam. I know she is terrified of telling you."

"And you want me to behave." He finished for her, gripping his hair with both fists. "I don't know if I can do that."

"I don't like it either Sam, but if I can put on a happy face then so can you..."

* * *

**45 minutes later**

"You told him I slept with Eric? Are you out of your ever loving mind?" I snapped at my cousin through the phone as I walked along a dirt road with my cell clamped to my ear and my head down to avoid the wind that had picked up since I left town. I had just left the main road in town and was back to walking on the dirt and gravel roads that lead through the outer parts of Bon Temps. I had called my cousin to let her know I was going to be at the bar in about 20 minutes and the first thing she said was that she had exposed my night with Eric to Sam.

"I had to warn him Allison, he had a right to know." Sookie protested, her voice sounding tired on the other end of the line. "I mean, you are headed over here soon and wouldn't you rather him be informed and used to the news, rather then surprise him and risk causing a scene?"

"I see your point, but it wasn't your news to tell, it was mine." I hissed, panic instantly rising up in my chest as I tried to figure out how he had reacted. It wasn't going to be a good reaction, I knew that right off the bat. "What did he say?"

"Do you really want me to tell you that?" Sookie asked, doubt filling her voice and she sounded a lot like the way she did when we were both teenagers. She sighed heavily and said "He was upset and really disappointed. Allie, he said he wished it had been him."

"Oh god, that makes this so much harder. Maybe I shouldn't come there right now." I grabbed a hold of my loose hair and pulled it over my shoulder. "I don't think it is the best idea."

"I know you're scared, but avoiding it is not going to make things any..."

I never got the chance to hear what Sookie was trying to say because the next second, all hell broke loose. My focus had been entirely on the conversation so I never heard the car trailing along behind me in the distance and I never heard the footsteps run up behind me. I didn't know I was being followed until I felt something strike me across the back of the head and I fell forward with a scream onto the road, the phone dropping from my hand as I landed on my side and a blinding pain nearly took my breath away. I saw a pair of man's legs walk into my line of vision and crush the phone with the heel of his foot. And then before I could gather myself together, I was tossed over my assailant's shoulder and rushed down the road towards the car that I never realized had been hiding in the treeline . I felt myself being dumped into the trunk of the car and struck across the head once more, making me black out as the trunk door slammed shut and the car drove off down the road with my unconscious body lying motionless in the trunk.

**A/N: and there you go, the last chapter of the first part of this story, but not to worry, i will be back soon with more chapters and a lot more action in store for everyone. Thanks for the overwhelming response this fic has already gotten. I cannopt wait to see your reactions to what i have planned. Things are about to get crazy**


	21. Through the mist

**Chapter 21 Through the mist**

"Wakey wakey little Allison. It is a beautiful day and you're missing it." A cheerful sounding male voice filled my ears, bringing me out of my dark fog and into the present for what felt like the first time in days. I couldn't focus my eyes right away, my vision was blurry like I had been asleep for more then just one night. I tried to reach up and rub them with my hands, but the moment I moved, that small jolt to my head brought on a sharp pain that flashed across the back of my skull and I instantly cowered into a ball and moaned out loud in misery. The man that had spoken to me laughed when this happened and I could see his feet walking across the concrete floor in front of me. "I guess you must still have a headache from that nasty hit you took 2 days ago."

"2 days ago? I've been out for that long?" I asked in horror, forgetting the pain throbbing through me and shot up into a sitting position only to see that I was in a small room by myself with a heavily linked metal wall caging me in. I turned my head to the other side, to where there was a man with short brown hair sitting in a chair dressed in khaki slacks and a bright yellow polo shirt and who was staring at me with his hands tucked under his arms. I frowned as he continued to look at me with that dazzling white smile and I struggled to figure out why he looked so familiar and why he was wearing a shirt in that ridiculous shade of yellow. Wait a second. That smile, the yellow shirt. I knew exactly who he was. I felt my stomach drop all the way down to my feet as the realization hit me and I slowly lifted my head to meet his eyes. "Steve Newlin? You were the one who kidnapped me?"

"Oh no, that's wasn't me. That was a member of my congregation I hired to do the job. And he was more then happy to travel across state lines to find you and bring you here to Dallas." Steve explained, sitting in the metal chair with his legs loosely crossed as if he were simply having a conversation with his friends. "Although I think he went a little overboard with the way he brought you here."

"A little over board?" I snapped, stumbling to my feet and rushed at the fenced in wall. I grabbed onto the links and glared at Steve. "You had someone follow me and hit me across the head only to stuff me in a trunk and drive out of the state. I think that is a little more then overboard. It is borderline psychotic!"

"That kind of attitude is not going to get you any where." Steven retorted, shaking his head sadly as if he felt sorry for me. "And I am sure you would like to know what you did wrong to find yourself in this predicament."

"I didn't do anything. You are the one who committed a crime, not me." I insisted, gripping the metal tightly as he stood up and walked over to the fence.

"I may have committed an illegal infraction, but what you did was much worse. You have sinned against God and I will not stand for it." He told me, uncurling his arms and pointed at my neck and I instinctively put my hands to the side of my throat and felt the fang marks that had been put there days ago. Steve watched me with a sneer on his face. "You are just like the rest of them, you didn't just have sex before marriage but you also did it with a vampire. Now that's a double no no."

"That's why you had someone kidnap me? Because I did something that was none of your business?" I growled, trying to make sense of what had happened but even though he was the one who first brought up the topic, there was a hole in the conversation that almost would have gone un-noticed. It was small, but significant. And then it hit me. "Wait a second. I was kidnapped just the morning after it happened. There was no way you could possibly know about it that quickly."

"Now you are getting somewhere." Steve laughed, grabbing his chair and moving it closer to where I stood and he sat back down again in the same position. "You're right. I did not know about your indiscretions before hand. My reasons for having someone track you go back much further then just a few days ago."

"So why then? Why did you do this?" I demanded, looking down at my hands and twitching them to see if anything would happen. Maybe if I could get my powers to work then I could get myself out of here before any trouble could occur. But I felt an increasing panic rise within me when I stared at my fingers and nothing happened. I looked back at Steve who was observing me curiously and I quickly shoved my hands in my pockets. "Tell me why you would kidnap when I did absolutely nothing to you or anyone you knew."

"Darling you're taking this all so personally. I never said this was about you." He pointed out, chuckling so hard that I could see all the gleaming white teeth in his mouth. "In fact, this isn't really about you at all. It's about your dead lover."

"Eric?" I asked, my mouth quivering slightly when I spoke his name. "How is he relevant to any of this?"

"Because he is the reason I had you abducted in the first place."

"I think all this Texas sun has fried your brain because you are not making any sense." I snapped, not feeling ashamed for being rude for the first time in my life. I wasn't worried about how I sounded at that moment because I was in too precarious of a situation to obsess over manners. Steve Newlin wasn't fazed by my comment and just simply shrugged.

"Well then let me explain so you know exactly what is to come of you." He clasped his hands around his knee and titled his head back with a proud look in his eyes. "I'm sure you know all about what happened last year with your Mr. Northman and your cousins and that little prick of a maker we took into our custody."

"His name was Godric." I hissed, defending a vampire I didn't even know and who was long gone now. But he was Eric's maker and I knew enough about him to know even in death, he didn't deserve to be disrespected. "And you're a dick."

"Hey now, there is no reason to get all snippy with me. I was trying to make a point here." He held up his hands like he was trying to establish peace between us. "Anyway, as I was saying, you know all about what happened out here a year ago. And I haven't forgotten the sacrifice that was supposed to be made on Eric's behalf. You see, he offered himself in the place of your cousin and Godric. He was supposed to meet the sun that morning and it never happened. And I don't like it when a deal falls apart. So I waited for a time when I could take revenge. And I planned and I put it into action. And that brought us to you."

"What are you saying?" I felt my knees and legs getting weak and I sat myself back down on the cold concrete to listen. But without even reading his mind, I could tell something was about to fall into place and make everything that had happened up to this point so clear.

"I knew I couldn't trick a vampire like him into walking back into this church willingly, it wouldn't work so I had to come up with something better. And it occurred to me to have him watched and see who he spent the most time with over the course of a few months and figure out who meant the most to him. And sure enough it was you. And that's when I knew you were our ticket to capturing him and have him die a true death like he was meant to. If we took something from him, he would stop at nothing to get to us and take back what was his. And you are it. So we had to do whatever it took to try and pull you away from him, even if it meant teaming up with creatures we wouldn't normally associate with and have them hunt you." Steve raised his eyebrows at me and pressed his lips to together into an infuriating grin. "Don't you get it? It was me who sent that demon hybrid after you all those weeks ago. I had hired it to follow you and steal you away when the time came, but your stupid vampire had to ruin things once again."

"Oh god." I clapped my hands to my mouth and my body started convulsing when all this information filtered through my head and I felt the full magnitude of all that had happened to me in the last few weeks. The kidnapping, the demon attacks, the pain and fear were all for getting revenge on Eric because he had escaped their clutches and they didn't like it. And taking me away to Dallas was the only way to have him come to into the church to be recaptured again. Because Steve Newlin knew full well that Eric would be furious when he found out who had taken me and would go ballistic in his attempts to save me, even by putting himself in danger. Steve was using me to send a message to Eric and the vampire community that the church was just as strong as it ever had been and when they wanted revenge, they were going to get it, at any cost. I stared at Steve through the links in the metal and shook my head. "How can you call yourself a man of God if you are putting an innocent girl in the middle of this war?"

"I am doing God's duty by defending humanity and ridding this world of the undead, one vampire at a time. And if some sacrifices have to be made in order to make sure I succeed, well then so be it." He shrugged, standing up and looking me over like I was not even a real person and it occurred to me that in his eyes, I wasn't a person. I was guilty by association and I would suffer the price. Newlin shook his head and stuck his hands in his pockets. "It's such a shame. If I thought there was any chance of saving your soul then I would let you go. But you are beyond saving, my dear."

"Don't you dare leave me in here you crazy asshole. Let me out." I shouted, banging on the metal fencing that was so thick it didn't even move then I tried to shake it. I watched as he walked towards the door across from me and disappear into the hallway on the other before letting the heavy door slam behind him with a resounding thud. The silence was so loud in that second when I paused to watch him go that it frightened me right down to my heart and began banging on the fence again with my closed fists. "Newlin! Get back here. Let me go."

But he didn't return and no one else came through that door, no matter how loud I screamed or how hard I pounded on that fencing. I exhausted myself after 15 minutes of this and I sank down to my knees and folded over on the floor. My hands were throbbing from the beating I had put them through and now in addition to being truly scared I was back to being in pain. My head ached and every muscle in my body tightened and tensed as I struggled to figure what to do. I had never been in a more dangerous situation. The demon attacks were on a different level. At least then I was home and had vampires that would come to my rescue in a heartbeat if it attacked. But I was in Dallas, where I had no alliances or friends to help me and I was surrounded by a group of fanatics who would gladly take my life if it meant proving a point to the vampires. After all, I associated with vampires, therefore Steve Newlin didn't see me worthy of human life and was quite willing to use me as a sacrificial lamb to torture the people I cared about, including Eric. I hung my head, feeling my body being racked by tears and I squeezed my eyes shut hoping someone would hear my pleas...

_Sookie, if you can hear me I beg of you to listen closely. You should know first thing that I am fine, But I don't know for how long. The Fellowship of the Sun were the ones who had kidnapped me. Steve Newlin is the person responsible for sending the demon after me. He wants revenge because Eric didn't die last year when you guys were here searching for Godric. He is trying to use me to make a point and I think they are holding me captive some place under ground until they decide how to proceed. You have to warn Eric before they trick him into acting before thinking. But please send someone to find me. I'm really scared right now..._

_

* * *

_**Back in Shreveport**

"The Fellowship, the fucking Fellowship." Eric muttered, sitting behind his desk in his office inside Fangtasia and gripped the arms of his chair while Bill and Sookie paced the length of the room in front of him trying to remain calm as they came up with a plan. Sookie had just informed him about hearing Allison's thoughts for the first time in 2 days since her abduction and he had been livid when she told him it had been the Church who had taken her. When Sookie had first said those words, he had lashed out in a big way. He had grabbed the first thing that his hand could touch, which happened to be a metal shelf full of glass beverages and threw it across the room easily as if it had been a paperback book and glass and alcohol had exploded everywhere creating a mess that was going to take time cleaning up, but he didn't care. His only concern was getting to Dallas and ripping apart Steve Newlin once and for all. That sorry excuse for a human being had stolen things from him for the last time. First it had been Godric and now it was Allison. And he refused to sit idly by and do nothing this time.

"We have to do something. She is out there in the clutches of these crazy people and who knows what they plan on doing to her." Sookie cried out in a panic filled voice that instantly made Bill appear at her side and try to put his arm around her. But she pushed him away with a glare. "I don't need your comfort right now. I need something to be done to bring my cousin home right this minute."

"We can't just fly down there and burst into the Church and demand that they return her." Bill tried to say but Sookie interrupted him before he could continue.

"And why not? Why can't we do that? Why can't we just gather up a whole bunch of vampires and go give them a fight?" Sookie snapped turning in every direction until her eyes landed on him. "Eric, we have to get down there. They could be torturing her."

"I know, but Bill is right." Eric stated, grimacing as he said this. It pained and annoyed him to agree with the younger vampire, but for once, it was true. "We have to have a plan if we are going to invade the Church. If we go in there with just the three of us, then there is a good chance none of us will make it out alive. But...if we had more vampires to counter their masses then we stand a chance at giving them the fight we should have fought a year ago."

"You are suggesting that we return to Dallas and launch a full out war on the Fellowship of the Sun Church? After what happened last time?" Bill asked in clarification and looked disgusted when both Eric and Sookie stared at him pointedly. "What would Godric say about this?"

"It doesn't matter, he's gone and he's not coming back." Eric snapped, standing up to his full height as he spoke. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides as he looked between Sookie and Bill. "They have Allison, ok? They have her and they are not going to let her go without a fight. So I say let's give them a fight."

"I'm in." Sookie agreed without even a second thought and reached out to shake his hand, their differences put aside for the moment now that they had a common goal. She turned back to her fiancee and leveled him with a stare. "Bill? What about you?"

"You do know we are going to garner a lot of negative feedback if we do this right?" He said to the both of them, but mostly at the blonde Stackhouse. Bill walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I don't want you to put your life in danger again."

"Bill, the Fellowship has my cousin and if something happens to her while I just sit back and do nothing then I will never forgive myself." She stated with a stubborn look in her face. "I would rather go there and get hurt a thousand times over and know I tried to save her then to be safe here and have to hear that it was too late. I wouldn't be able to take that."

"We have time. They aren't going to do anything drastic to her. It's me they want and they are going to keep her alive to make sure I go there to save her." Eric pointed out, grinding his teeth as the thought of what may happen to her flashed through his head. He shook it away instantly, the possibility of that outcome was too much to bear, even for him. "So we use this time and get as many vampires as we can to join us and then we hit Dallas and we hit it hard."

"Normally I wouldn't agree with something like this, but this time they have gone too far. They have taken my family and I'm not going to play nice anymore. This is personal." Sookie told them, crossing her arms and stomping across the room and sat down on the sofa that had been cleaned off since his outburst. She lifted her head and looked right passed Bill to him and said. "I'm sorry."

"For what? You did nothing." Bill protested, taking place at her side.

"Actually I did and it was to Eric." She insisted to her fiancee and then shot her eyes back across the room. "I'm sorry for not understanding what it was like for you last year when this was your situation. Now I know what you were going through when they had Godric. I didn't truly understand the pain you felt until I was going through it myself. And for that I really owe you an apology."

"What's done is done. And my only focus is on right now." Eric waved it off but he sent a look at the blonde human that he hoped showed his gratitude for her words. She nodded in understanding while he walked back to his desk and sat on the edge of it. "I will have Pam and Chow go out and find every vampire willing to fight that's in my area. I guarantee there will be more then a few who would love to take on the Fellowship."

"We should also call on Isabelle and see if any of the Dallas vampires would be willing to help us. I'm sure they haven't forgotten what happened last year." Bill said, running his hand through his dark hair.

"And I will go there first as a diversion." Sookie announced, causing both him and Bill to shoot their heads in her direction while she just sat there looking completely calm. "What? I'm going to let you boys have all the fun? I don't think so."

"It's too dangerous, I won't allow you to do that." Bill snapped furiously which only proved to further annoy Sookie.

"Bill Compton, you may be my fiancee but you do not control me and I will not have you think you can." She hissed, pushing him away and standing up again. "If I want to go into that Church and be a diversion, then I will do it with or without your permission."

"Still can't control your human can you Bill?" Eric smirked, almost amused when the younger vampire sneered at him. "But she may have something there. If she sneaks into the church, then she can search for Allison and possibly get her out of there. If there is going to be a fight, then it is best if Allison is out of the fray when it happens."

"And how is Sookie supposed to pull that off? They know who she is and would recognize her right off the bat. She can't possibly infiltrate that Church and not get caught." Bill snapped, his hands going to his waist in a flash. "You are a real piece of work Eric."

"Shut up, I'm not the one who suggested it, she did."

"You shut up, you agreed with her."

"Both of you just shut up." Sookie shouted, her voice rising above the both of them and she rolled her eyes. "You two may be vampires, but you are behaving like 8 year old boys."

"Sookie..." Bill began to speak but she cut him off.

"Don't speak." She held her hand up to keep him silent. "I don't know how I am going to get into the Church without getting caught, but I have to at least try. And like I said, I don't need your permission. But I do need you to be on my side. This is not a time for any one to be fighting. We all need to band together."

"She's right. This situation is delicate and we need all the strength we can muster. We are only stronger then them if we are united." Eric replied walking over to the two of them and held his hand out. "If you two can agree with me on that, then all our past disagreements are null and void. It's a new beginning."

"Deal." Sookie nodded and Bill followed suit and they placed their hands in the middle on top of his. Eric grinned, feeling the alliance come together in that split second. "Now what?"

"Now we scheme..."

* * *

**Inside the Church**

"Have you had enough Ms. Stackhouse? Where is your precious vampire? Isn't he supposed to feel your pain and come through the door to save you? Isn't that how it works?" Steve's cruel voice mocked me as I cowered on the floor, breathing heavily from the beating I had just taken. He stood over over me with his arms crossed and a sneer on his face. "That is the only reason we are doing this. If you're in pain, then he will get here faster. Because if we leave alone, then who knows how long it will take until you are rescued."

"Fuck you." I snapped up at him, rolling over on my back and tried shimmy across the floor towards the open doorway, but Steve snapped his fingers and a heavy hand wrapped around my ankle and yanked me back while I clawed at the ground. "No, no not again."

"God will forgive us for what we have to do, but he will never show mercy on you for your sins." Steve told me with a careless shrug and wave of his hand while he moved to leave the room. "Gentlemen show her what her punishment will be."

"Stay away from me." I shouted, kicking at one of the men and jumping to my feet and making a dash for the door. But I didn't even make it a few steps before I was grabbed and shoved across the room into a metal shelf. I fell to the ground, already feeling a new cut open up on my arm and the blood starting to flow. I curled myself up as tight as I could and listened as the door shut and locked behind Newlin and I was left alone with two of his followers who were advancing on me with a glean in their eyes. I shook my hands, praying that this time the light would save me but nothing happened. And the second after that, four hands grabbed me and dragged me back to my feet. I didn't even get a chance to scream before they started assaulting my body.

_20 minutes later..._

"Sorry about that, but our actions will be be forgiven in the eyes of our Savior. He appreciates us for carrying out his message." One of the church fanatics said as he dropped me down to the floor for the last time and walked backwards to the exit. I could barely see his feet move as my gaze was out of focus and I laid there on the cold concrete struggling to find a breath of air. He soon left me alone, pulling the heavy door shut and locking it from the outside, leaving me to the silence of my racing heart and uneven breathing.

After Newlin had left, those two men had descended on me like vultures. They had every intention of carrying out Newlin's punishment that had been set aside for me and had immediately began hitting me. They didn't even need to use anything to hurt me, their fists did the job. I was shoved back and forth between the two men, each taking a turn at punching me anywhere they could reach. I could feel the bruises start to form when they grew tired of this and began throwing me against the walls for fun and laughing when I crumbled down to the floor in a heap. They drew blood eventually, opening a new wound on my leg when I was pushed into a shelf and caught my leg on a jagged end, ripping open the skin and the blood started flowing rapidly. I didn't remember too much after that, I kind of floated in and out of consciousness not really aware of what was going on. And it was only now when they finally stopped the beating and left, that I was able to focus again. I looked down at my bloodied and bruised body and tears sprang to my eyes.

_Somebody save me. Please._

**

* * *

****At Fangtasia**

"Make sure you stress the urgency of the situation to them Pam. We won't have that much time to act until the Fellowship does something drastic." Eric told his progeny as they stood together inside the empty bar and looked around at the silent room. He had just finished giving her orders about rallying up the other vampires in the area and explained the situation they were all in and she listened to him without even saying a word. "Go now and do what you can."

"I will." Pam agreed, for once not coming back with a smart remark and instead just nodded and turned to leave. But before she left, she shot at glance over her shoulder at him and asked. "You know its going to be ok right?"

"I will know that when you have done what I have asked." He shot back, taking a seat at one of the tables and looking at his child with a frown when she appeared to be studying him. "What?"

"Nothing." She replied shaking her head and in the next second, she left and was out the door in a flash, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He sat there for a minute with his elbow on the table top and his eyes practically staring a hole through the wall. For the first time since Allison's abduction, he had been left on his own and he no longer knew how to handle it. While Pam had left to join Chow on canvasing the area for willing vampire to join them, Sookie and Bill were contacting Isabelle and the Dallas nest of vampires to see if they could be of help. There was no one else around to distract him from the darkness of his own mind, and the more he sat there in a sulk, the worse his mood became.

"You are distraught my child. I can see it in your face." Came a familiar voice that Eric never would forget in all his life. He shot his head to the side in the direction the sound was coming from and there, standing in the middle of the room was the ghost like image of his fallen maker. He looked the same as he did at the time of his death, young and innocent. He was transparent now and Eric could see through him at certain spots, but he was there and that's all that mattered.

"Godric." Eric barely managed to spit out before he rose from his feet and moved across the room to bow at the feet of the vampire who had made him into what he was. "Why haven't you appeared to me in a while?"

"Because you did not need my guidance until now." His maker replied with the same easy going smile that he had used when he was still living. He raised his hand, motioning for Eric to return to his feet and when he did, he began speaking again. "I understand that the Fellowship is trying to cause trouble again and you wish to seek revenge on them just as you did before."

"They kidnapped the human that was mine and they are holding her captive. I cannot stand by and do nothing." Eric confessed, bowing his head because he knew what his maker would have to say about his course of action. "I know you do not agree with what I have planned but..."

"Surprisingly, I do not object to this. They have brought pain and suffering down on their own kind before and this time, it is directed back at you as well." Godric answered back with a shake of his head and a look of disappointment on his face. "I may not be here in the flesh, but you are still my child and I do not wish to see you in agony. So if you feel it is right to go after them, then you do it and don't look back."

"I appreciate your approval." Eric told him, smirking in satisfaction at his master's surprising answer. Normally Godric would have told him to take a different road, a less violent road, but not this time. This time his answer was completely out of character for him. "But I have to admit I am more then a little surprised that you would tell me it was alright to proceed this way."

"I see how much you care for the girl and how she has affected your quality of life. That''s never happened before, and I have seen you with a great number of women." Godric pointed out with a smile. "You're different with her. She has changed you and you don't even know it. She is not like the others who came before her."

"Why is she different to me? Why do I feel this intense urge to fly there and rip everyone in that church apart to avenge her?" Eric asked, desperate for an answer that he couldn't find. "Why do I feel like I cannot rest without knowing she is safe?"

"Do you not know?" Godric asked him, his pale lips curling even tighter into a smile. "Because I find it very hard to believe that you can't see the answer to that question. It's all over your face."

"Tell me because I can't figure it out." Eric begged his maker, feeling his sanity starting to reach the brink and any minute now he was going to lose it. "It's not like she is anything special to me personally. She is just this human I claimed as my own. That's all she is..."

"No Eric, that is not all she is to you and you know it." Godric informed him, raising his transparent eyebrows in the air. "If she was just another companion to you then you wouldn't be this aggravated. You wouldn't be rounding up an army of vampires to attack the Fellowship. You wouldn't be sitting here wallowing in pity and worry over just another human. You wouldn't be throwing fits for days at a time if she didn't mean something to you. She means more to you then you are willing to admit. You spent time with her, you worried for her safety and rescued her from danger. And were intimate with her in way that you never have been before in all your years. The answer is right there, you just have to let yourself go and accept it."

"Are you saying that I have fallen in love with a human?" Eric demanded of his maker, snapping his head to the side to watch Godric walk across the floor. "Is that what you think?"

"I think...that is what you think." Godric told him, raising his hand above him in a wave. "You will soon feel the magnitude of your feelings for her and the answer will feel more right then you could think. I must leave now."

"Must you? I could really use more of your time." Eric snapped, feeling a sense of sorrow rip through him upon seeing that he was losing his mentor again. "I'm lost without you Godric."

"Do not fret. I will return to you sooner then you think." His maker assured him before dissipating into the air in a cloud of sparkling mist and leaving Eric alone once more.

**a/n: ok i totally went against what i said in the last chapter..I just couldnt go on hiatus like i had planned because i was too inspired to conntinue writting this story. So i am going to forget that plan and just ride out this inspiration train to the very end**


	22. Taking Action

**Chapter 22 Taking Action **

"So explain to me again why we are hiding in a tree?"

"For our own entertainment William." Eric hissed, rolling his eyes as he settled down on the branch he was straddling and looked through the leaves where Bill was sitting above him. "What do you think?"

"I think we could have chosen a better place to find cover while we wait for the demon rather then in a tree." Bill shot back in a near whisper and remained still as they both kept their eyes trailed on the shadowy forest. "And you're sure we are in the right location?"

"For the millionth time, yes." Eric held back from shouting as he crossed his arms. "Pam and Chow followed the demon for the past 2 nights and this is the spot it passes through each time. So all we have to do is wait until it shows up and then we attack and kill this thing once and for all."

"If Pam and Chow were tracking it, then why didn't they destroy it when they had the chance?" Bill asked, sounding doubtful of the entire plan.

"Because I want to kill this thing by my own hands." Eric answered back as he tightened his leg muscles so he maintained his balance on the branch. "Now shut up and keep watch."

"Fine." Bill grumbled and fell silent as did Eric while they turned their attention back to the darkness surrounding them and blended into the shadows to wait for their prey to show up.

Eric nearly wanted to tell Bill to leave this mission up to him the moment the other vampire had shown up in Shreveport tonight, but he had resisted because he knew he would need another vampire around if he was hoping to kill this demon. Eric never liked to admit that he ever needed help, but this was an entirely different story. As annoying as Bill was, he was capable of helping him with this task. And it needed to be dealt with right away. At this very moment, Pam and Chow were finalizing a group of vampires to come with them to Dallas as soon as they got back, and if he and Bill didn't kill this demon, then it could possibly show up in Texas and give warning to Newlin and the Fellowship of their impending arrival. And Eric was not about to give those freaks any more leverage then they already had. At least if the demon was destroyed before it could report back to Dallas, then Eric and the others had the element of surprise on their side. And that would put him one step closer to rescuing Allison. He didn't dwell too long on thoughts of her because every time he did, he couldn't help but imagine the pain and torture she was going through. She was hundreds of miles away and he couldn't help her until he got there. She was being forced to fend for herself and he could only hope that she would come out of this whole thing unchanged. He hated to think she would be forever scarred by this memory.

"Eric." Bill tapped him with his foot and motioned to the far off distance. "I think it's coming."

"Where?" Eric whispered, instantly becoming alert and he sat up and looked in the direction Bill was pointing at. At first it was merely a speck in the moonlight, to human eyes, it never would be noticed. But with their vampire senses, they could clearly see it was a figure moving slowly through the woods towards where they were situated. And it only took another glance before Eric could indeed recognize it as the demon and he was immediately caught up in a fury. He was ready to jump out of the tree and launch himself through the forest at it, but Bill's hand on his shoulder prevented him from doing so. Bill tightened his grip, as if to remind Eric of their plan and he had no choice but to relax and wait. Bill nodded and slipped from the branch above him and down to the ground without so much as the tinniest noise. Eric kept his eyes on the moving creature and fingered the silver bladed knife in his pocket. He wasn't lying when he said the demon was going to die at his hands, he really was going to be the one to drive the silver right into its chest. It would be the tiniest bit of a mood lifter that he needed before leaving for Dallas. The creature that had been stalking his human since the beginning was going to die tonight and it wouldn't take long. There would be a very small window of opportunity before it would slip out of their clutches and he had strike as soon as he could. There was no other option...

"Well this is going to be fun. I never destroyed a vampire before, but I'm pretty sure it won't be too hard." The demon cackled from the path a few yards from where Eric was positioned. It had reached the spot where Bill had been standing and the two were circling each other, almost as if they were sizing one another up.

"Think again. The only thing getting destroyed tonight is you." Bill shot back, rolling up his sleeves and sending a sneer across the shadows covering the path. "You have put yourself in a real bind."

"Oh I think you are mistaken. You see, I am an older being then you and much stronger. Its you who is in a bind." The demon hissed, cocking it's head. "I will destroy you and when I'm done desecrating your remains, I will go to Dallas and join the Newlins for this so called war you plan on launching."

"So you know about that huh? What makes you so sure that you will able to return there? How do you know you won't be the one in remains?" Bill snapped, pausing in the middle of the trail with his arms at his side and no sign of resistance in his body language. "But go ahead and try your hardest. It will be funny to see you fail."

"Not going to put up a fight? This makes it too easy. You must have a real desire to die." The demon said, a clearly satisfied smirk in his eye. "Good bye dead man."

"I don't think so." Bill snapped, a fire suddenly erupting in his eyes and he shouted. "Eric now!"

The demon had barely spun around to look in the direction Bill was shouting at before Eric had landed in the path in front of Bill and had pulled out the knife he had been hiding. Eric motioned for Bill to trap the demon hybrid from the other side and when the younger vampire vanished and appeared in front of the creature, it spun back around, only to be met with Eric's hand around it's throat. A quick thrust and the knife was embedded deep in the demon's chest with only the hilt of it sticking out. Eric dropped his hand and stepped back as he watched the pure blackness filling the hybrid's eyes started to spread out onto it's face like spilled ink. The body instantly started twisting and the skin caving in on itself as if every bit of liquid and fluid was being squeezed out of it like a towel. A black smoke substance floated out of its mouth as hit fell to the dirt and began twitching uncontrollably. Bill stood beside him and watched in fascination as the creature shriveled and weakened at their feet and they both glanced at each other before Bill pulled out the lighter in his pocket and flipped back the cap to ignite a small flame. He leaned down and dropped the light right on the demon's foot where it instantly caught and the entire body went up in bright orange flames. Eric pulled Bill back a few feet and they stood there staring at the motionless figure as it burned down to a brittle corpse and then dissipated into a pile of ashes that smoked for the longest time. A blueish cloud rose from it as it smouldered and took over the ashes eating away at the blackness until there was nothing left on the dirt path except the lighter and the silver knife.

"Wait, that's it? It's over?" Bill said, breaking the silence and looking down at the ground with a frown. "We hid in a tree for 2 hours for 5 seconds of action? Seriously?"

"Seriously Bill, you are getting on my last nerve." Eric growled, shaking off the dust from his hands and he turned to look at the younger vampire. "I told you it was going to be a quick job and we would be out of here."

"Yea, but..."

"No buts. We have a plane to catch and vampires to round up." Eric reminded him, nodded down the path that lead back to the road. "And you better hope that your fiancee doesn't find herself in trouble until we get there..."

* * *

**Back in Dallas**

"Ok, it's night time so their security won't be too tight, so it shouldn't be too hard to slip past them." Sookie whispered to herself as she hid in the bushes on the outer edge of the property and looked across the lawn to the church where it sat with no lights on but imprisoned her cousin somewhere inside. "Oh who am I kidding? They are an anti-vampire church. If anything, their security is going to be the tightest now when vampires are awake and roaming the city."

Sookie wanted to give in to her despair right then but she fought against it just like she had fought against it since she had arrived here in Texas. The moment she stepped foot on the soil, it felt like she had never left, but it wasn't a good feeling. There was animosity in the air and a tension that she had long forgotten about until now. It weighed heavy on her but she couldn't turn back now. It had taken a great deal of strength to pack her bags and get on a flight so quickly without being able to tell anyone except for Sam about where she was going. It wasn't that long ago since she got off the plane and checked into the vampire hotel like Eric said for her to do. He had made arrangements for her by the time she got there and she was shown right up to the room she would be sharing with Bill. He would be arriving with Eric and the other vampires soon and then she would have back up. But she couldn't just sit there and wait for them, she had to be stupid and call up a taxi to take her over to the church. And here she was, huddled under a bush and scanning the property to see what her options were.

"I need something to distract those guards that I see walking around." She murmured, looking around her for something that would draw their attention away. Her eyes landed on a cluster of trees that sat about a hundred feet from where she was currently hiding. Perhaps if she used her powers to knock one of them over, then she could make a dash for the building.

Sookie straightened her arm out and held her palm in the direction of the trees and grinned when the light started to appear at her fingertips. She sent a beam right at the trunk of a tall one and watched in satisfaction when it was hit and a sharp crack was echoed across the grass. People immediately started shouting and the guards quickly gathered together to investigate, giving her a small window of opportunity to run out from her cover and head for the building. She ran as fast and as low as she could manage and thankfully it was dark, which gave her extra camouflage. But she didn't take into account the possibility that there would be more guards then she thought and she nearly was caught when a group of Fellowship members turned in her direction. She had to drop down behind another bush to avoid being scene and held her breath until the guards passed and she was in the clear.

"Ok, close call." Sookie whispered, looking behind her to make sure she was alone and was relieved to see that the property beyond this point was completely clear. She nervously ran her hands through her hair and bit on one of her nails. "I should try and see if I can reach Allie. If I know where in the basement she is then I stand a better chance at not drawing attention to myself."

Sookie relaxed her mind and closed her eyes. She hadn't been able to read her cousin's mind or be in contact with her since that first initial cry for help. But maybe now that she was closer, it would work. Knowing that Allie was some where in that building that was only a mere 50 feet away, made her more determined to reach her cousin.

_Allie? It's me. I am right outside the church. If you can remember, tell me where exactly you are so I can get you out._

Sookie paused and waited. Sometimes it took a while for a message to get through, especially after having the bond closed off for so long. But it never was long then a few minutes. And even then, she still got a brief feel for what people's moods were. So she sat there and looked around with a guarded look while she waited. But after about 8 minutes there was still nothing. No words, no images, no feelings, not even any real noise, it was just static. So she tried again.

_Allie, I need you to answer me. This could be your escape, I just need to know what part of the building you're in. I can't enter until I know. It's too dangerous._

And then she waited again, but something told her that this time wasn't going to be anything different. She just had a really bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and it was starting to seep into her head. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. She should have waited for the others to arrive. At least then she would have the sense of safety of knowing someone was there to protect her. She wanted to try and save her cousin right now, but if she was captured then it would be no help to anyone.

"Mr. Newlin, we might have an intruder on the property."

"Shit." Sookie whispered, ducking her head and peering through the bushes to where the voice was shouting from. She couldn't see much in the night air, but she did see shadows moving about on the other side of the lawn and that made her cower even closer to the ground. She shot a glance over her shoulder, seeing the road she had walked on not too far away, but there would be nothing shielding her if she decided to make a run for it. But there was no other choice. If she stuck around here, she was likely to get caught. At least if she ran for the road, she could get far enough away before they really saw who she was. That was what she was going to do.

As soon as she repeated her actions from earlier and sent a beam of light at another tree, she took off. She didn't pause or slow down and instead increased her speed as she ran for the road. Luck seemed to be on her side and there was no shouting or gunfire echoing in her direction when she reached the pavement. She did pause briefly, feeling shame at leaving her cousin behind but that quickly faded when she realized that she was never going to be able to do this alone and she never should have attempted it. There was never anything she could have done, even if she had found out where her cousin was. Reaching her was one thing, but escaping with her was another. And Sookie had barely gotten out of there herself. She had no choice but to return to the hotel and wait for Eric and Bill to get here. She hated doing it, but leaving was the only way to make it work.

* * *

**Allison's P.O.V**

_Where am I?_

_I looked around the spot where I had woken up in and was shocked to find that I was in some kind of all white dimension that most people would describe as heavenly. Did this mean I was dead? I sat up straight and held my arms out in front of me. There was no bruises or cuts or any sign of blood anywhere on me. I looked like I had never been kidnapped or beaten. I was perfectly ok. But then why was I here? There was nothing in sight in any direction to give me any clue as to where I was and it looked like I was by myself. I got to my feet, finding that I was not only barefoot, but clothed in a flowing white dress that swished at my ankles when I walked. This was obviously not what I had been dressed in when I was abducted, someone must have changed my clothes. But who?_

_"You're awake." A gentle voice stated from behind me and I whipped around in a flash to see a young man around sixteen standing there, dressed in cream colored clothes and wearing a calm smile on his face as he took in the sight of me. He had short dark hair and an innocence in his features that said by first glance that he was still in his teens. But a second and more closer look made realization dawn on me and I stepped back in fear._

_"You're a vampire."I said, nearly tripping over myself as I started moving away from him but he simply stood there and watched me with this amused look on his face. "Were you the one who killed me? Is that why I am here?"_

_"My dear Allison, you are not dead. And if you were, I certainly wouldn't be the one to have done it. I haven't killed a human in many years and I couldn't have done it to you now." He told me, crossing his arms and taking a hesitant step toward me. "It's impossible for me to do anything."_

_"Why?" I asked, biting my lip and gathering the skirt of my dress up in my hands so I wouldn't step on it when I had to run away from this vampire I had never seen before in my life._

_"Because I am dead." The vampire answered back with a shrug, his reply catching me by surprise that I dropped my arms to my side and my mouth fell open._

_"If you're dead, then I must be dead as well. Or else how can you be talking __to me?"_

_"Actually you are not dead. You're not even close to being dead." He told me,another smile uncurling across his pale lips. "You're very much alive."_

_"Then why am I here talking to you? How come I am not lying in that basement like I have been for days?" I cried out at this stranger, the tears welling up in my eyes and rolling down my cheeks within seconds. I looked at the vampire through my blurry vision and asked. "And who are you anyway?"_

_"I am the maker of the vampire you care so deeply about." He said, stepping forward until he was only a few feet away and he released his arms from his chest. "I created Eric Northman. I am Godric."_

_"Oh...shit." I blurted out and then instantly slapped my hands to my mouth in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I ..i should have realized who you were right away. When Pam told me about you, she described you in such a way that I felt like I knew you. I ...i just can't believe you are in front of me."_

_"That's quite alright." Godric assured me with that gentle smile of his and motioned for me to sit down as he did the same. "But we do not have much time. I have only come here for a short while. There are things you need to know."_

_"Like what?" I asked, dropping down to my feet and curling my legs underneath me. Godric sat crossed legged in front of me with his hands on his knees like he was going to be meditating any second._

_"First of all, I need to quench your fears about your mortality." He started, meeting my eyes. "As I told you, you are not dead. You're still alive but you are in a state of transition between staying alive and passing on."_

_"So I am unconscious?"I asked in clarification, looking down at my uninjured body and then at him._

_"Yes you are. Before you woke up here, you were viciously beaten until you blacked out. But you managed to survive the inhumane treatment Newlin set forth for you. And that is no easy feat." Godric told me, his face darkening slightly as he spoke of the reverend who had taken claim in both our lives."He has grown in both madness and unpredictability since I last encountered him."_

_"So how long am I supposed to be here?"_

_"Do not fret child, you will awaken once again. But you will return unfortunately to pain and suffering until someone comes for you." Godric explained, surprising me by grabbing my hand when my eyes widened slightly. "But it won't be forever. You are not meant to be trapped among the Fellowship for too much longer."_

_"I'm not?" I looked at him when he told me this. "How am I escaping them?"_

_"Eric." Godric replied simply, the name of the vampire I cared about slipping from him mouth for the second time. "Do not be afraid anymore, little Fae. Eric is coming to save you, there is no more fear to be had."_

_"He's coming here to save me?"I heard my voice choke up as I said this and I pulled my hand away from Godric and covered my face so he couldn't see the tears that were threatening to fall. "How is he planning to do that? The Fellowship is always prepared for an invasion. I'm sure you know that and..."_

_"Eric has his own way of doing things and this time is no different." Godric told me, a proud smile on his lips as he spoke of the vampire he had created. "When he learned of your abduction and who your captors were, he started assembling an army of vampires to come to Dallas and take on the church. He is determined to rescue you and bring you home."_

_"But that's going to be dangerous." I exclaimed. "The Newlins kidnapped me for this very reason, so they could capture Eric. And now he is going to walk into their territory and risk getting himself abducted. No, he can't do that. I won't have him get hurt on my account."_

_"You love him. I can see it in the way you say you want to keep him safe." Godric pointed out. "It's almost the same way he said it."_

_"Oh please. Eric would never say something like that. It's not him" I countered with a roll of my eyes. "If anything, he is just concerned about getting his property back."_

_"Do you have so little faith in him that your night with him didn't do anything to change your opinion of him?" Godric asked me as I turned away when I started turning red. Godric just chuckled before speaking. "I do take partial responsibility for how he is. He was with me for a long time and I didn't exactly provide the best example. But he is not how he seems. He does have the tiniest shred of humanity in him and that is reserved for you."_

_"What are you saying?" I demanded, getting to my feet and facing him with my hands on my hips._

_"I'm saying that despite his tendency towards violence and his petulance for throwing fits, and despite the cold exterior he puts up, he cares more deeply then you know." Godric said with a heavy sigh. He got to his feet and shook his head before saying one last thing. "He loves you. He loves you more then he thought he could love anything. And that is why he is coming to save you."_

_"I uh...I..." I didn't even know what to say to this. Hearing from his maker that Eric loved me was just so baffling that I was in shock. I looked at Godric, only to find him becoming transparent. I watched him go from a solid figure to slowly starting to fade away. "You're leaving aren't you?"_

_"My time here is over." Godric agreed, backing away from me with even steps. "And so is yours. But this will not be the last time you see me. We will encounter each other again soon."_

_"We will?" I asked and he nodded, causing me to smile. "That's good. Ever since I found out about you, I always thought it would be neat to know you and now I have."_

_"Hope I lived up to the hype." Godric grinned and stepped forward, placing his hand on my cheek and bringing his lips down on my forehead. "But I must go. Good bye for now."_

_"Good bye Godric."_


	23. The Sacrifice

**A/N: Just a little warning. There is a massive amount of violence and brutality in this chapter and if you are squemish about that kind of thing then dont read this. But if you do, just prepare yourself, because i don't hold back**

**Chapter 23 The Sacrifice**

"You almost got caught? What were you thinking going there by yourself at night? That's when their security is at it's tightest." Eric exploded at her the second she finished explaining what had nearly happened at the Church the night before. He didn't hold back in his rage and grabbed her by the arms and shook her as he asked. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I was trying to help. I didn't think anything would happen." Sookie protested, ripping his hands off her and she stepped back to where Bill was standing and watching this exchange. "But when things started getting too dangerous, I left and came back here to wait for you guys. So it's all ok."

"Eric is right though." Bill added, turning to face her. "I know you said you wanted to be a distraction, but I think we all thought that was going to be when we were all here and could come to your aid if something went wrong. If you hadn't gotten out of there when you did , then you could have been in the same predicament as your cousin."

"You think I don't know that?" Sookie snapped, sending a glare at the two of them. "I realize that now, that it wasn't the smartest idea I ever had. But when someone you love is in danger in the same city you just arrived in, you can't think straight and your body just reacts in the moment. I'm sorry I almost got caught, but I'm not sorry I went there in the first place. I was sure I would be able to sneak in and find her without a problem. But I was wrong and I am sorry."

"This isn't going to work if we don't formulate our plan together." Eric hissed, sitting down in a chair in the living room of the hotel suite and leaned forward with his arms on his knees. "If we all go off and try different things, we are sure to fail. We have to be in sync from now on, no matter how badly we want to just rush in there and take action."

"Since when are you so level headed when it comes to attacking humans?" Sookie huffed as she rolled her eyes and walked through the room to the sofa across from him and dropped down with a sigh. "I would have thought you would go crazy and try to attack the Fellowship the minute you got here."

"I have more will power then you think." Eric replied, sitting back with a smirk. "Because I know that it will go in our favor if we stick to our plan."

"Ok ok, she gets it. Lay off." Bill warned, joining her on the couch and placing his hand on her knee. "We can't afford to get into an argument right now."

"Then consider the matter dropped, we have bigger fish to fry." Eric told them, tapping his fingers on his chin. "We need to organize things down to the most miniscule detail so we can attack tonight."

"Really? Tonight? Is that wise to act so quickly after our arrival?" Bill questioned, piping up from his unusual silence and looked at them. "Shouldn't we lay low for a day so no suspicion is aroused?"

"We can't waste any more time then we already have." Eric snapped, his eyes lighting up with an unhinged fire. "She has been in their clutches for far too long and we have to act now. Any more time can be fatal to her existence."

"You don't really think they would hurt her that badly do you?" Sookie asked, a panic taking hold of her heart and it made her breath pause in her throat so suddenly that it made her head spin. Bill tightened his hold on her leg at that moment, showing that he had felt it through their bond. "I mean, I know they are these psychotic fanatics, but they are still a church. No church would condone that kind of behavior."

"You are so naïve." Eric scoffed out loud, shaking his head in disbelief. "Have you learned nothing from the last time we were here? Or are you just that incapable of retaining information?"

"And have you realized that you still haven't changed since then? Even after you lost Godric and now Allison, you still can't even be nice." Sookie shot back, igniting the fury in Eric's eyes to the point where he jumped up and would have pounced on her had it not been for Bill steeping in front of him and restraining the viking vampire. Sookie still stared him down, even as he looked like he wanted to kill her. "We are all in the same rut here Eric. And you throwing the first insult is not going to make us want to work together."

"I was merely stating a point." Eric growled, stepping back from Bill and looking around the younger vampire at her. "You have this ridiculous belief in humanity that there is still good inside everyone and no one is capable of true evil."

"It's not ridiculous for me to believe that." Sookie frowned, her forehead wrinkling as she glared at him and crossed her arms. "I still have faith in human kind and maybe its time you should try it."

"Never going to happen. History has proven that theory wrong time and time again." Eric disagreed with a roll of his eyes. He turned his back on the two of them and walked through the suite towards the door. But before he left, he looked over his shoulder and said. "I will return in 20 minutes and we will get together details for this invasion. Whether you like it or not, we attack at dusk."

And then he left, leaving Bill and Sookie to stare at each other in wonder. Sookie could tell that Bill was thinking the same thing that she was, that Eric was inching closer and closer to his breaking point. And one more push would send him over the edge. If that happened then there was no stopping him.

"So tonight..." Bill broke the silence first, running a hand through his dark locks and looking at her. "If Eric is determined to put this into action at sunset, are you ready for it?"

"I don't think I get to be ready for this." She replied, standing up and walking over to her fiancee and immediately putting her arms around him. "I wasn't expecting to have to fight a war for my cousin's life. But that's what it came down to. And whether I am ready or not, I will do what I have to do."

"I'm sorry you have to find yourself in this position. I never wanted you to feel like this." Bill sighed, tucking his arms tightly around her back and held her to his chest. "But I promise you that we will rescue her. She wont be left there to suffer any more then she has."

"I hope you're right." Sookie answered back quietly, closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of his cologne, it gave her a calming feeling and she was less frantic for the first time since touching down in Dallas. She was still filled with terror and concern for Allison's safety, but by the time darkness fell over the city, the rescue mission would be put into effect. And Sookie could only hope that the tiny brunette could hold out that long.

**

* * *

**

**At the Fellowship of the Sun church**

"So what are we supposed to do with her?"

"Reverend Newlin gave orders to have her brought into the church."

"Why?"

"Because he just got wind that there is going to be a vampire invasion happening sometime tonight. Apparently a new group of vampires just arrived here in Dallas last night and they are coming to attack once the sun goes down. And he wants the girl in the church when they show up. He said it would be symbolic to have her punished in God's sanctuary. So that's what we're going to do."

"Punish her? What exactly does that mean?"

"It means what it means. Now open the door while I grab her."

I heard the two men stomping across the floor as they argued before I managed to open my eyes and see a pair of feet moving passed me to the wall opposite from where I laid. I saw the door being pulled open and then a pair of rough hands yanked me up by the arms and set me on my feet. My legs were weak and I felt dizzy from the pain of the beatings I had taken in the past 48 hours and I would have fallen back down if it wasn't for the hands that steadied me and pushed me forward. I stumbled across the room, barely reaching the doorway before the man behind me grabbed me around the waist and tossed me over his shoulder. I lay hanging there as we moved through dimply lit hallways and up a long narrow staircase. I didn't have the energy to lift my head and look around at where we were passing through on our way into the church, so I hung there limp as the two men's footsteps echoed on the floor in the silent hall. They paused for a minute and I could make out the sound of a heavy wooden door being pulled open and then they stepped forward again into a brilliant light that spread across the floor at their feet. They walked down the aisle and I could make out the long rows of pews on either side of me before they came to the end and dumped me on the cold floor at the front of the church. The impact knocked the wind out of me and sent a painful shudder through my body as I struggled to pull myself up into a sitting position and was dismayed to see the cut on my leg had reopened and started to heavily bleed again. I hadn't even lifted my head before a pair of feet appeared on the edge of my vision and I looked up into the grinning face of Steve Newlin.

"Hmm, you are looking much worse for wear aren't you?" He asked, shaking his head as he began circling around me with his arms crossed. "It's such a shame too. You were such a pretty little thing and now you are damaged."

"Go to hell." I muttered, pushing my blood soaked hair out of my eyes and managed to send a glare at him which he only seemed to find funny.

"No, that's where you're going." He shot back, an easy going smile never disappearing from his face. "And when your friends gets here, they can join you."

"You'll never take them down. They are so much stronger then all of you." I snapped, struggling to my feet and trying to find my balance while attempting to look stronger then I was. "You won't get away with this."

"I did before and I will again." He stated, clasping his hands together energetically as if it were a game he was playing. "I just wish it was already nightfall, then the fun could start."

"Just...leave them alone, leave Eric alone." I begged, my voice wobbling as I tried to follow Newlin as he continued to walk in circles around me with that unnerving smile on his lips. It made me sick to think of Eric being hurt while trying to rescue me. He may not care about me the way I wanted him to, but I certainly cared about him. And I couldn't even think about what the Fellowship would do if he showed up here like they were saying. So I turned my eyes on the Reverend and said. "It doesn't have to end like this. Just call it off."

"See I can't do that Ms. Stackhouse and you know why?" He asked, stopping in his tracks and grabbing my upper arm. "Because that would be allowing the vampires to win. And I can't let that continue. They have taken over god's green earth and we are going to take it back. By any means necessary. Even if it means using you as an example."

"Oh god." I whispered, turning my head to see a group of men, including the ones who had brought me here, coming down the aisle towards the large empty space in front of the church where we were standing. There weren't many of them, but the ones that were there, all looked scary and formidable, like drill sergeants reporting for duty. Newlin laughed when my face and tossed me to the ground where I collapsed in a heap and the pain in my leg became unbearable, feeling like a knife had lodged itself in my bones and muscles and was slowly twisting. I tried to stand up again but my legs wouldn't bear my weight and I fell down to my knees. I tried to crawl away but it was in vain because a large hand encircled my ankle and dragged me backwards. "Oh please God save me..."

"God can't save you now. You have disrespected him with your actions and now you will pay." Newlin said grinning like a fool and looked behind me to the group of men and said in the cruelest voice. "Do it."

"No!" I cried out as the hand that had grabbed me, kept on dragging me back until I was in the middle of the group of men and lying on my back only to look up and see their focused expressions. I saw them all look at each other and nod in unison before they glanced down at me again and then attacked. Their feet came from every direction, stomping down on any part of me they could reach and causing me to cry out in pain as I rolled on my side. I attempted to escape through the space between the men but one of then reared their leg back and kicked me right in the ribs. That set off a frenzy and they all wanted to get in on it. Another man pulled me up to my feet and locked my arms around my back so I could push anyone away. And then the rest of them took turns in kicking me as hard as they could, shoving their feet and knees into my midsection until I bent over, barely able to breathe. "Pl...please stop."

"Can't do that." One of the men said, pulling me up straighter and looking me in the eye. "You are a disgrace."

And then he slapped me, the force of it sending me flying backwards into the arms of an older man who shoved to the middle of the circle where I was met with a fist to the side of the head. The pain erupted the second his knuckles connected with my temple and I nearly threw up at the pulsating throb that ripped through my brain. I would have fallen to the floor had it not been for the pushing that ensued, it kept me upright and unfortunately put me in the path of more degrading slaps and punches. A well aimed hand at my jaw made my mouth clench down tightly and I was soon spitting out blood all over my hands. My head was going a million miles an hour and I couldn't even begin to figure out how I was going to escape from this. My powers hadn't worked the entire time I was here and I cursed myself for not practicing them more. If I got out of here alive, I would spend every spare second I could to strengthen them. Until that happened, I just had to pray I could slip by and make a run for it, even with my mounting injuries. So I let them push me around, allowing them to think I wasn't going to fight back and when I was able to stand on my feet in the middle of the circle I made my move. I pretended like I was going to step forward and go after the young guy directly in front of me, but instead I snapped back and drove my elbow into the nose of the man behind me, causing him to keel over and allowing me a chance to dart away.

"You stupid fang banger." He shouted as the others caught up with me and one of them grabbed me by the hair while the rest blocked off the exits. I was thrown back down to the floor and yanked by my hair back over to the middle of the space I was in originally. The man I had hit was currently wiping blood off his face and when I was on the floor by his feet he looked at me with this unmatched fury in his eyes. "You're going to wish you never did that."

"Just let me go, please." I begged, looking up at him and knowing I was going to be overcome by tears any second now. I saw Steve Newlin standing on the steps by the altar and was watching this exchange with an observant eye. "Please Mr. Newlin, you can't let them do this anymore. You can't..."

"Will someone make her stop talking?" Newlin ordered, waving his hand like it was no big thing.

"Right away sir." The man with the bloody nose said and pointed to two men and then motioned to me. I was joined on the floor by two fanatics who grabbed a hold of my arms and held on tight while a third took my right leg and held it apart from my left. I of course struggled to break free, but it was fighting a losing battle and I was helpless to stop it when the man I had injured, raised his leg and brought his foot down in a crushing blow on my ankle.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh." I screamed out in agony, feeling the bones break and splinter apart as the men released me and I grabbed my leg to my chest. Tears streamed down my face as the pain radiated all the way up my leg , feeling like it had been broken by a cinder block and the weight was still there. I looked down at my foot, only to see it hanging awkwardly from the bottom part of my leg. The area around my ankle had already begun to turn red and swell and I wasn't able to even move it an inch, any kind of twitch made the already painful break even more unbearable. "God damn it!"

"Don't you ever take the lord's name in vain again." Newlin shouted from his post by the altar, walking down the steps and joining the fray of men. "You deserve what you're getting for aligning yourself with those creatures."

"Go fuck yourself." I shouted up at him, struggling to control my breathing which had been to verge of the side of hyperventilating. "You're a psychopath. No normal person does this."

"I assure you I am quite normal. I am a man of God and I stick to spreading his message of right and wrong. And right now, you are wrong." Newlin told me, straightening up and shoving his foot down on my rib cage and an audible snap was heard as two of my ribs cracked and I cried out in a gasp. I couldn't even move or make a noise, my mouth was frozen in an open position and my eyes were squeezed shut as I tried to hold on to my consciousness. But I didn't know how much longer I could hold on. It was getting to be too much. This re-break of my ribs hurt worse then it did the first time. I was afraid to move, for fear that one wrong move would push a rib into one of my organs or even my lung.

"Look at her, she's crying." One of the men said, pointing down at me mockingly as I clutched my hands to my left side. "You think she is in enough pain Mr. Newlin?"

"Not yet." Newlin smirked, looking off to the side and his face lit up which couldn't mean anything good. "I think we need to do something to insure that even if she escapes from us, she won't be able to get very far."

I breathed heavily through my gritted teeth, trying to slow my intake of breath so I would cause more pain by expanding my lungs, but there was too much damage done to me already. No matter what I did, I was in pain. My ankle was broken probably beyond repair, I was bleeding from the mouth and the head, bruises were dotting my skin and my rib cage was cracked in two places. I didn't know if it could get any worse, but I was about to be proven wrong. The men came back and circled me on the floor, some holding down my arms and others holding down my legs. A bandana was stuffed into my mouth to silence my panting and screams and then it happened. I couldn't believe I didn't notice the sound of a chain link being dragged across the floor but there it was passing by my head. I tried move my leg but it was being held down by two of the guys and I felt a rising panic hit me when I saw the chain being doubled and then being gripped like a whip in the hand of the man I had elbowed in the face. I saw the gleam in his eye as he smirked down at me and then, he reacted. I didn't even have a second to prepare myself before he swung the chain in the air and brought it down across my knee. I screamed louder then I thought I ever possibly could but that didn't seem to be enough to get me through the pain of feeling my knee cap shattering underneath my skin. I found my body convulsing in agony and my vision started to blur, unable to keep me awake and sustain this unbearable anguish. I could feel myself slipping away, the faces surrounding me were disappearing and the pain started to fade, leaving me in a state of permanent bliss...

_"You can't give up Allison. You're not mean to leave this world just yet." A gentle voice spoke in my ear and I found myself smiling when I realized I knew who it was off the bat. But even he couldn't make me forget what I was facing._

_"I can't do it Godric." I said, turning my head to see him lying on the church floor next to me, his face as kind and innocent as always. "It's too hard to hold on to."_

_"You have to fight, you can't leave everything behind. You'll survive this, you have to." He told me, reaching down to take my hand and I could feel him squeeze my fingers gently. "I know you're in pain and I know it's hard. But you need to hold on just a little longer. Eric is coming tonight for you. He can't lose you after everything you two have been through."_

_"I don't want to not be with him, but I can't handle the pain anymore. That's why I blacked out just now." I explained, squeezing his hand back, surprised that I could feel him when he wasn't even real. "They were breaking apart my body bit by bit. My knee just shattered a minute ago. I don't even want to imagine what else they are doing to me when I am not conscious."_

_"You don't have to imagine, I can tell you exactly what is happening." Godric replied with a despondent look on his angelic face. He released my hand and rolled over on his side, he brought his fingers to the inside of my arm and ran them over the skin. "They have decided that breaking your bones and beating you down is not a good enough punishment in their eyes. A more dramatic turn has occurred. They have taken a knife to your arms and have proceeded to slash at your skin, Newlin wants them to draw blood to torment the other vampires with when they come."_

_"Oh great, if Newlin and his band of crazies don't kill me then the vampires who smell my blood will." I sighed, covering my eyes with my hands. "I can't win. So what is the point of holding on?"_

_"Because deep down, you know there is still good out in the world. And it's worth fighting for." Godric answered his gentle smile taking over again. "It won't always be like this Allison. It won't always be hard."_

_"It just seems that way." I rubbed my eyes before turning my head to look at him. "Will you stay with me? Until I go back?"_

_"As long as it takes. I'll always be here..."_

_

* * *

_

**Back at the hotel**

"Oh when will this end." Sookie said to herself as she sat out in the living room of the hotel suite and flipped through the television channels while Bill slept in the bedroom, recharging for what was bound to be a hellish fight to go down in a few hours. She had barely slept the night before and she couldn't rest now, she should have tried again, she needed all the strength she could summon for what she had to do. But her mind just wouldn't allow her to do that, so she had showered and dressed and ordered herself lunch to keep herself occupied until the time came to head out. And although she was hungry, she found that after one bite, she simply couldn't eat anymore. Her stomach had turned to knots the second she put food down her throat, so she pushed the plate away and sat there on the couch numbly clicking the remote until she was pulled away by a knock at the door. She got up and walked barefoot across the carpet to the front of the room, annoyed that someone was disturbing her peace before she was forced to go fight in a short time.

"Who is it?" She asked, touching her hands to the door and waited for a response.

"Eric Northman." The gruff sounding voice answered back and she pulled back the door in surprise that he would be awake right now. He eyes landed on her and turned serious. "We need to talk."

"You should be resting right now. We go to battle in a couple of hours." Sookie protested, rolling her eyes at his stubborn expression. "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you, but not here." Eric said, stepping back into the hallway and motioned to the door across from them. "Follow me."

"Fine." She agreed, grabbing her key from the table by the door and stuffed it in her back pocket as she walked behind him from her hotel room to his and he allowed her to enter first before he kicked the door shut behind him. She watched him walk over to the sofa in the middle of the bed and shed his leather jacket before turning to look at her with his hands on his hips. She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. "Ok I am here, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I couldn't ask you this when we first got here because we had so much to organize but now I have no other choice. It is making me uneasy and I don't like asking for help on anything. But I need your help with this." Eric explained, looking uncomfortable in a way that she had never seen him. He stuck his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet before speaking. "I need you to reach out to Allison and see if she is ok. I ...I need to know."

"But why? I mean, it's not like you even care …..." Sookie began to say but Eric cut her off and what he said shocked her.

"I care...I care a lot." He stammered, closing his eyes and visibly tensing up as he spoke. Sookie watched him pull his hands out of his pockets and saw that he had clenched his fists tightly. He opened his eyes and stared at her. "Just...check on her...Please."

"I don't know if I can." Sookie told him, running her hands through her slightly damp hair and walking towards him slowly. "I tried to read her mind before when I was at the church and talk to her but there was nothing there. All I heard was static."

"Well you have to try again." Eric pushed the subject further, motioning for her to sit down on the couch and she did. He took a seat on the chair opposite of her and crossed his arms. "Do it. Right now."

"Just don't expect a miracle. If it didn't work last time, then I doubt it will work now." Sookie grumbled, sitting back and making herself comfortable. She would have to push the boundaries of her bond with Allison and force a connection. For some reason it was cut off and their minds weren't connecting the way they usually did. So she would have to push at it until it gave and then see what happened.

_Allie? It's Sookie, I'm here with Eric. We just want to make sure you are ok. Can you give me an answer? Even just a small one?_

Sookie opened her eyes to see Eric watching her intently. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up her hand to cut him off, she didn't want the silence broken just yet. It would help her pick up on things if there was no noise. So she shook her head and he shut his mouth. She breathed heavily, setting her palms on her knees and closed her eyes again. There was no response as she expected but she knew Eric would want her to try again and so she did.

_Please Allie, just let me know if you are alright. We are all so worried about you. Make some kind of noise so I know you are still alive._

She paused, opening her mind up as wide as she could as she focused her energy on her cousin. Her mind strained as it struggled to meet Allison's and it was starting to hurt. Sookie had never had to try this hard to establish a connection before and it was a little unnerving that it kept failing. She tried to push through again, but she was met with nothing but silence. Sookie glanced at Eric and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but there's no response."

"Are you sure you're trying hard enough?" He demanded, not looking at all satisfied with her answer.

"Don't start with me. I tried to do you a favor and it didn't work. I can't help it if her mind isn't open to me at the moment." Sookie snapped, her frustrations with Eric flaring up again and she got to her feet to leave. "Look, we are heading to the church in just a few hours. She will be fine until then."

"I want to know how she is right now."

"Well I am sorry but I can't do anything about it..."Sookie found herself going quiet as her mind started to spark and crackle. She sat back down, grabbing the side of the sofa in her fists as Eric looked on with a frown on his face.

_Ow ow ow ow ow...it hurts so bad. Make it stop. MAKE IT STOP!_

_I can't move my legs...my ankle is broken beyond repair and they shattered my knee...it's in pieces...I'm in pieces_

_I can hardly breathe, every time I do my ribs burn from where they broke... I think I'm bleeding on the inside..._

_They took a knife to my arms...the blood hasn't stopped flowing since...there will be nothing left in me if Eric and Sookie ever come to save me. _

_I'll be dead before the night is over...i can't take the pain anymore...I'm afraid they plan on torturing me until I beg for death...i don't want to die...but I don't know how long I can hold on..._

"Oh my god." Sookie's voice rang out in a strangled cry, her hands instantly coming up over her mouth to muffle the sound. "Oh my god. Oh my god."

"What? What is it?" Eric snapped, jumping up from his seat looking ready to pounce.

"I heard her. Allison she...she..." Sookie couldn't even let herself say what she had just listened in on. The words her cousin had spoken were echoing in her head, too brutal to even describe out loud. The pain of hearing what had been done to her was just too much and Sookie felt like she had been hit in the stomach with a baseball bat. But hearing Allison say that she was afraid that she might die just broke her heart and the tears instantly sprung to her eyes. Sookie looked at Eric who had turned away the minutes she started crying and said. "She's being tortured. She's dying..."

"No!" Eric shouted, rushing forward and yanking her out of her seat by the arms and shook her fiercely. "Don't you ever say that. She is not going to die."

"How do you know?" Sookie cried as he gripped her arms roughly. "She's in a lot of pain and she is bleeding internally. She won't last much longer."

"Yes she will. She is tough, she will survive this." Eric protested, a determined gleam in his eye and he turned to look down at her from his great height and she was surprised to see his face soften. "It won't be too long until sunset and we will head right there. I promise you that."

"Should we at least call the police?" Sookie asked as the thought hit her. "I mean, they could break in there and save her since you and Bill can't be outside yet."

"The police can't help, they are all corrupt and would just turn their heads and laugh." Eric told her, a frown settling on his features. "No, this is our war and we will take care of it."

"So we just sit here and wait?" Sookie asked, more tears rolling down her cheek. "While Allison is bleeding out inside the church?"

"We don't have any other choice. The vampires can't move in until the sun goes down and you don't stand a chance if you go there now. So we have to grit our teeth and wait." Eric grumbled, a low growl emitting from his lips as he brought his hand up to her face and wiped away her tears with his thumb, taking her by surprise. "But I can you promise you that I will take my anger out on everyone of those crazy fucks for hurting her. You have my word on that."

"You better follow through or I will kill them myself." Sookie replied, tilting her head back to look at him. "You really care for her don't you?"

"I have no idea what you mean..."

* * *

**A few hours later**

"Ok, its an hour till sunset, the clock is ticking." Eric said, looking around the room at Bill and Sookie and Pam who had just joined them. He took in the seriousness of their expressions and the way they kept on fidgeting and glancing at the clock and just shook his head. "As soon as we leave here, Sookie will go in first to draw their attention away and we will attack."

"We know the plan Eric." Pam replied, studying her long fingernails before looking at him. "You need to relax and be quiet."

"Watch your mouth Pamela, you don't want to tick me off right now." Eric warned her, cracking his knuckles in her direction but it didn't seem to faze his progeny.

"Enough with the tough guy act Eric. We all know you're a big softie deep down." Pam shot back with a smirk as she stretched her arm along the back of the couch. "We will rescue your precious girlfriend and have ourselves a nice meal in the process."

"Can you wait until I get out of there before you go and snack?" Sookie asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "I really don't want to see that."

"Too violent for you?" Pam asked, chuckling softly to herself.

"Yes actually, it is." Sookie agreed, shooting a look at the only female vampire in the room. "I prefer not to be traumatized by what is going to happen."

"You two are a piece of work, arguing like children." Bill stated, a small smile appearing on his face as he put his arm around his fiancee. "But it is kind of amusing."

"You would say that." Sookie huffed, pretending to glare at him but she ending laughing as a knock sounded at the hotel room door and she stood up to answer it,leaving the room fairly quickly. She was gone for a minute and they could all hear the murmur of voices and then she returned, flanked by two human males, both dressed in bright yellow shirts bearing the Fellowship logo on the chest and carrying silver mesh in their hands. The minute Eric laid eyes on them, he almost lost it but Sookie shook her head and said. "Eric, it's ok. They just came here to speak to you."

"What could you possibly have to say to me?" Eric demanded, glaring across the room at the two men, who couldn't have been much older then Sookie and clenched his hands so much that Pam had to stand up and appear at his side with her hand on his arm to keep him from diving across the room.

"We come bearing a message from Reverend Steve Newlin." One of them with blonde hair said, looking nervously around him at the room with the three vampires in it. "He has a proposition for you."

"Well you can tell him to go fuck himself. I will not negotiate with a psychotic bastard such as him." Eric growled and Pam tightened her hold on him.

"Let him speak." Sookie said, looking into his eyes and gave him a look that said to be quiet. He nodded and she turned back to the two men. "Go ahead."

"Mr Newlin is willing to release the girl on one condition." The boy said, gripping the silver in his hand and looking at his companion nervously. "He will let her go in exchange for your sacrifice."

Silence fell on the room the minute the blonde stopped speaking and the words hung heavily in the air as everyone turned to look at him. Bill and Sookie were staring at him with theirs mouths open, while Pam had stepped back and scrunched up her face, blood tears already brimming in the corners of her eyes. So that was the purpose of this visit, to give him a no win situation that was bound to torment him either way not matter what choice he made. He either declined and move forth in this war and risk losing dozens of lives in the process, or he agrees to sacrifice his own life for the sake of Allison. To him it was a no-brainer, but a quick glance to the side said it wasn't going to be that simple. Pam, as annoying as she was, would be absolutely destroyed by his demise. She may not have been the kindest or the most obedient, but she was loyal beyond all hell and she was his only child. He couldn't hurt her and put her through the pain of losing a maker just like he had gone through when he lost Godric. That was an agony that he would wish on no vampire. But Pam's life wasn't the only one he was thinking of, Allison's life was hanging in the balance as well and her situation was more dire. If he didn't agree with Newlin's proposition, then there was no telling what would happen to the youngest Stackhouse. And he wasn't sure he could live with that outcome. He hadn't planned on getting this attached to a human and it was still a foreign concept to him that he had yet to understand. But as much as he didn't want to bring pain to his child's life, he also knew that he couldn't live with himself if he let Allison suffer anymore. Because if he did, then he might end up meeting the sun himself just like his maker had a year ago. "Alright. I'll do it."

"No!" Pam cried, grabbing his arm and stepping in his path so he couldn't go forward. But he was so much older then her, and moving her out of the way was just as easy as moving a chair. He looked down and upon seeing the anguish in her eyes and the blood rolling down her pale cheeks, he found himself breaking down and he brought his hands to either side of her face and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"It will be alright. I will be alright." He said quietly, keeping his eyes on the two men. "As soon as I leave here with them, gather up the other vampires and start heading to the Fellowship. I'm leaving you in charge. You need to keep your head focused and get this done. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." She answered back, her voice shifting between sounding fearful and sounding full of sadness. She pulled back from him and wiped the blood from her eyes and said. "If there was ever a time for you to keep your word, this would be it."

"You always were a riot Pam." Eric told her, squeezing her shoulders before stepping to the side and walking away towards the two humans but he paused in front of Sookie and Bill and sent them both a look that said they were to stick to the plan no matter what happened. Bill nodded curtly while Sookie looked torn, like she too wanted to cry which he found strangely endearing. He looked to the two Fellowship members and held out his wrists. "Go ahead. Silver me."

The two boys looked at one another before they came forward and pulled out a long line of silver from their pockets. It only took a second before it was wrapped and intertwined around his wrists and hands like handcuffs. It took all he had not to growl out loud from the stinging pain of the silver against his skin. He absolutely refused to show any weakness in front of these humans and allowed them to pull him towards the door of the room without putting up a fight. It was humiliating for a vampire of his stature to be dragged out the door like an animal, but his only focus was on getting to the Church to put their plan in to action. Newlin thought he was going to be getting Eric's sacrifice but he was so wrong. Things were going to be taken up a notch. All Eric had to do was play along like he was going to give up his life, and then when the moment came, he would lash out and take his quest for revenge to a new level.

This night was going to end in bloodshed and it wasn't going to be his. He would make sure of that.


	24. Only Hope

**Chapter 24 Only Hope**

"Oh this is bad. This is really really bad."

"Pam will you get a hold of yourself already." Sookie snapped, grabbing the female vampire by the shoulders and slapping her across the face. "Freaking out right now is not going to help us."

"How do you expect me to react?" Pam shot back, fire rising up in her eyes and Bill had to step between them before Eric's progeny lashed out and did something that couldn't be taken back. "Eric just offered himself as a sacrifice to save your cousin. He's going to die and I will lose my maker..."

"You're not going to lose Eric." Bill spoke up, taking charge of the conversation and turning his focus on Pam. "He told you everything will be alright and it will. But only as long as we do what he told us to do."

"Bill's right about that." Sookie relented, standing down and crossed her arms with a heavy sigh that was filled with worry and lack of patience. "We have to concentrate on the task at hand and that is to gather the others and head to the church."

"Good, let's go." Pam nodded, pivoting quickly on her heel and ran out the door before Bill or Sookie could blink. Sookie stared at her fiancee, who looked back at her with an apprehensive look on his face that she could read perfectly well and spoke before he could.

"Don't even say it Bill. I'm going through with my part in this plan and nothing you say is going to stop me from doing it." Sookie told him as she had seen his mouth open, ready to protest and stopped him before he could say it. "I know you were just going to try and talk me out of it, but it won't happen."

"I just really think it is a dangerous idea for you to go in there alone." Bill pointed out, one hand on his waist and the other gripping his dark brown hair in a nervous manner. "What purpose will it serve for you to show up there alone?"

"Do we really need to go through this again?" Sookie asked, walking over to the sofa and sitting down on the padded arm and crossed her legs over each other. Bill watched her every move intensely, as if he were afraid she would make a jump for the door. Sookie almost smiled at his reaction, because it just went to show how deep his love was for her for him to be over thinking the plan for what seemed like the millionth time. "Honey, it will draw everyone's attention away and give Pam and the other vampire's a chance to sneak in and release Eric and Allison. If they are paying attention, then they could signal for the Fellowship to shoot everyone. At least if I go in by myself then it has the element of surprise."

"Not for long. As stunning as you are, you wont be able to distract them for more then a few minutes." Bill said, a slight smirk appearing on his lips. "It's a very small window of opportunity and should you fail..."

"I won't fail." Sookie insisted, an uncharacteristic frown on her face. "I just can't. Allison's life isn't the only one at stake here now. Eric is also depending on us to follow through, or he could be gone as well."

"I'm not all that worried about saving Eric's neck." Bill admitted with a shrug. "But I guess I have to at least pretend I care."

"Only until we have them both back with us and then you can return to hating him." Sookie assured, standing up and reaching for his hand. "So come on. We need to catch up with Pam before she completely changes the plan and charges into the church without thinking."

"You're right, as always my dear." Bill nodded and allowed her to lead him out the door and into the empty hallway before they both turned to look at each other. Bill pulled her into his hard embrace and whispered against her forehead. "Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"I'm scared and nervous, but I am certain I can do this." Sookie stated, tilting her head back to stare at his pale face that was usually so calm and steadfast and now looked like he was on the verge of freaking out. Sookie reached up and placed her hand on his cheek and said "I will be fine. But still get there are soon as the sun goes down."

"You have my word that you won't have to be there without back up for too long." Bill muttered with a nervous frown. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and said. "Take care of yourself."

"I will"

* * *

"Dude, he keeps looking at me like he wants to eat me."

"Moron shut up. Even when you whisper, they can hear you. And he probably does want to eat us. Steve really pissed him off and now we are the scapegoats for his anger."

"So what do we do?"

"We bring him into the church like Reverend Newlin ordered us to. And he'll take it from there."

"Just like that?"

"Yup."

"I cannot wait to start killing these idiots." Eric grumbled to himself as he stared at the back of the heads of his two human captors as they dragged him forward through the darkened hallways of the basement towards the church. He had allowed them to keep his wrists and arms bound with silver in order to insure he didn't give any reason for Newlin to go back on his word to release Allison, but his patience was starting to wear off. They had taken him to the church basement upon leaving the hotel and right into the very room that he had come in when he had saved Sookie and Godric last year. It was a harsh reminder of how once again the Fellowship had reinserted themselves into his life and he was really getting pissed off now. But he was willing to put himself in this position and be weakened by the silver if it meant that Allison would be allowed to leave and be safe. That was the only thing on his mind right now.

"Oh man, he is looking at me funny again." One of the Fellowship members said nervously and glanced over his shoulder quickly. "Make him stop."

"Just stop looking and keep walking. We just have to get him into the church and then we can go. Keep that in mind."

"You do realize that you're not going to get away with this so easily, right?" Eric asked, startling the two humans to the point where they almost dropped the ends of the thick silver chains. He watched in amusement as they shot looks at each other and tried to ignore the stabbing, burning feeling in his skin being caused by the silver. "Once the right moment comes, all of you will be dead. Most likely by my own hands."

"You...you..I..um.." The pathetic human stuttered, trying and failing to make himself look tougher then he really was. He looked at his companion, who nodded before they both turned forward and tightened their grips on the silver. "Shut your mouth vampire and save the talk for Mr Newlin."

"Stupid humans. I can't wait to drain every single one of you." Eric grumbled, inwardly groaning as he felt a flash of pain the longer the chains were on his skin. It was the only thing keeping him from breaking free and killing these idiots right on the spot.

The building was quiet as the three of them walked through it's winding hallways, which was surprising considering the vast numbers of followers they had acquired over the past few years. But there was no one around as he was led up a dimly lit staircase and onto the main floor of the entrance hall. Eric glanced through a window on the wall opposite from where he stood and saw that the sun was just starting to sink beneath the trees. He smirked wildly to himself. This was going perfectly. Soon enough the light would be completely gone and the vampire army would arrive to descend on all these fanatics. He just had to hold on until then. It wouldn't be too long before their attention was drawn away by the appearance of the other Stackhouse. As long as Sookie showed up when she was supposed to then everything would be alright. So he went along willingly, not that he had a choice in the matter considering the silver was making him weak, but if he put up a fight then more harm could come to Allison and he couldn't risk that. So when the followers wrapped more silver over his arms and across his chest, he didn't even attempt to fight them off, even though he could have killed them both easily. He was walked across the quiet floor towards a heavy wooden pair of double doors and he realized this was it. He was about to confront Newlin in the church and more importantly, he was going to see Allison for the first time in over a week. His still heart felt like it fluttered for the briefest of seconds as he was pushed though the doorway and into the church, where at the end of the long aisle, stood Steve Newlin waiting for him.

"Well well well. I was beginning to wonder if you had decided not to take me up on my offer. But I see I had struck a chord with you." Newlin laughed, standing on top of the steps with a smirk as he called out to the other end of the church. "Are you prepared to stand down and sacrifice yourself on behalf of that little whore?"

"She's not a whore." Eric hissed, wishing he could rush down that aisle and snap Newlin's neck and erase that smug look on his face. And he would have done it if he wasn't bound with silver. "You're going to pay for this."

"No, actually, you are the one that is going to pay for it. If you had just allowed us to kill you last year like we intended, then none of this would have happened." Newlin taunted, raising his hand to beckon them forward. Eric found himself being dragged down the aisle roughly in a way he had never experienced before. The chains dug into his skin, leaving angry red welts on his arms and shoulders. Newlin took great delight in this as Eric was brought toward him. "And besides, if you had been destroyed, then your precious little human would never have suffered as much as she has. This is all your fault."

"You little shit..." Eric started to growl, but he fell silent as his nose caught the scent in the air for the time and he almost couldn't believe he hadn't picked up on it when he was first pushed into the church. It was a heavy smell that was familiar with vampires and drove them crazy with hunger and desire, especially this particular version of it. It was the smell of blood, and lots of it. He immediately found his body stiffen by instinct and he turned his head to see where it was coming from, but it wasn't until he was at the front of the church that he saw the source of it and he was filled to the brim with fury when his eyes landed on the crumbled figure lying a few feet away in a pool of blood. Allison didn't look anything like herself, she was broken and shattered in the worse possible way. Bruises covered nearly every inch of her skin, including her eyes, arms and legs. A deep cut was open on her leg that continued to drip more blood on the floor and the sight was made worse by the awkward way her ankle laid on the concrete floor, sticking out in a sickening angle that told him it had been severely broken. Her arms were covered in slashes that were pouring blood out at an alarming rate. Her knee was swollen to 4 times its normal size and he couldn't even begin to imagine what they had done to her to cause all this damage. He could tell there was more to her injuries then what he was seeing and for the first time in his life, he felt a flicker of fear for a human. But that was only relieved when he could sense her weak heart beat fluttering inside her chest. She was alive, but not for too much longer. He glared up at Newlin and wished more then anything that he could break free from all this silver and release his fury on that man. "Oh you are going to die for what you have just done to her."

"She deserved it." Newlin stated with a wave of his hand as he looked down at the spot where Allison laid. "She sinned against God and suffered punishment for it."

"You are a sick fuck, you know that?" Eric snapped, straining against the silver in an attempt to get his hands on Newlin but his energy was barely there and he couldn't afford to waste more of it. Instead he dropped his arms and nodded to the girl. "Well I came here on her behalf just like you offered to me. Now release her and you can have my sacrifice."

"Interesting. Chivalry in the vampire community. Never saw that coming." Newlin admitted, walking down the steps towards him, a sick smile on his face. "But that's not going to save you."

"I didn't expect it to." Eric rolled his eyes, annoyed that this was taking so long. He just wanted them to take Allison out of here so she could be attended to. "But you have what you wanted. Now let her go."

"See, that's where you're wrong Mr. Northman. I don't have all I want. And what I want is for everyone who has sinned against my savior to be punished accordingly. And that's not going to happen if I release the girl." Newlin told him with a wicked looking expression in his eyes. "I was going to be nice and let her go, but after some thinking I did before your arrival, I decided I don't really feel like being nice. Because what kind of leader would I be if I allowed her to go without retribution?"

"Don't you dare go back on your promise you little shit." Eric frowned as he watched Newlin's face twist into a harsher mask then he had ever seen the Reverend wear. "I came here like you asked. You have me. You can kill me, but let her go."

"No. I don't think so." Newlin shook his head and with a snap of fingers, Eric found himself being tugged forward, the silver embedding itself deeper into his skin. Newlin laughed hysterically as he passed him by on the way up the steps and said. "I think it would be the most fitting punishment for her to watch you die right before her very eyes."

"I'm going to kill you if I ever get free." Eric growled, trying and failing to unwrap himself from the yards and yards of silver. He was pushed and kicked up towards the very front of the church to where an altar was waiting, covered in even more silver chains. It was then that it really hit him that the situation had taken a precarious turn and not only was he going to meet the sun, but if Allison woke up, she was going to have to watch him slowly burn. The only thing keeping himself from truly believing it was the fact that he had back up coming in soon. Unless Newlin had done something to keep the other vampires from reaching the church. Then in that case, he was a goner and so was Allison. He wouldn't put it past Newlin to think that far ahead and cover all his bases. So he was helpless to stop himself from being chained and silvered to the altar in front of those tall windows and could only lay there, as weak as a human as the silver was tighten and fastened over his body in a secure, no escape manner that pleased that bastard Newlin to no end. Eric turned his head in annoyance and stared straight at the fanatic. "You are going down for this. I guarantee it."

"You vampires think you are so smart. But you're really not." Newlin rolled his eyes and walked back up the steps until he was leaning over the altar. "It is going to be so much fun watching you go up in flames."

"And it will be even more fun when I rip your throat out." Eric shot back and dropped his head down on the stone altar to wait for whatever was to come that night. It could go either way now. Newlin was as crafty as he had ever been and there was no telling if he had been able to detain the others. Only the next hour would tell what was going to happen. But at the moment, his attention was drawn away towards the floor where the sound of a moan of pain filled his ears and his eyes landed on Allison's stirring figure.

* * *

_Oh there is so much pain._

_I don't think I can take much more of it. I've never felt this much agony in my life. I can't take it. It hurts so bad._

_I don't ever want to wake up..._

But I was waking up, even despite my best efforts to remain blacked out, I found my vision starting to brighten and my eyes were slowly opening back up. And as soon I was able to focus, I was hit with a tidal wave of pain in the chest and I couldn't help but cry out loud. The pain was so raw and burning that I nearly passed out again and it was only the image of someone standing above me that kept me from going under again But the sight that met me was not one I wanted to see when I woke up. The smirking face of Steve Newlin looked down at me as I laid curled up on the floor at his feet. I tried to shimmy away but the slightest movement made my ribs scream at me in agony and I had to fall still again. I could barely control my breathing, drawing a breath was painful and hard but I knew I couldn't give up. I wasn't quite ready to admit defeat yet.

"Well look who finally decided to wake up." Newlin taunted, tapping me in the side with his foot and even that small touch was enough to make me hiss sharply. I heard his laugh echo across the church as he kneeled down next to me. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Go fuck yourself." I managed to spit out, squeezing my eyes shut as pain washed over me when I spoke. I looked down at the floor and was horrified to see the amount of blood I had lost. It was all around, spreading in every direction. I was surprised I wasn't dead yet.

"You are so rude." Newlin observed with a shake of his head as he stood back up and crossed his arms. "Even beating you up hasn't changed that."

"Leave her alone Newlin." A deep, husky voice called out from the front of the church and I quickly turned my head, ignoring the pain as my ears recognized that angry tone that I would know anywhere.

"Eric." I said his name barely above a whisper, but he heard it because even in my fog of pain, I could see movement from the altar a few feet away and his face turned and met mine for the first time in what felt like forever. I was distraught to see that he had been imprisoned on that altar in silver chains and little curls of steam were already starting to rise off his pale skin. He didn't show any expression of pain on his face, but his blue orbs said differently and for once I could tell exactly how he was feeling and it nearly killed me. He was now in pain because he had come here to try and save me. And in that moment, I managed to forget my own misery and looked back at Newlin with a pleading tone in my voice. "Let him go."

"Excuse me? What was that?" Newlin asked in mock sincerity as he stood by me and looked between Eric and I with a cruel look on his face. "You're asking me to release an extremely angry vampire? You are crazy."

"He hasn't done anything to you. He only came here to save me but I don't want him to get hurt. So please let him go." I begged, biting down on my lip as a stray tear escaped from both my eyes. As much as I couldn't take the pain I was in right now, I couldn't take seeing Eric hurt even more. And that was why I said what I said next. "Please, you can keep torturing me but don't hurt him."

"This is sick. You are both willing to sacrifice your lives for one another." Steve frowned heavily, wrinkles appearing in his forehead as he contemplated this idea. "That is barbaric and immoral. A human laying down her life for a vampire. That's messed up."

"Please. Leave him alone." I begged, struggling to reach out to grab the leg of Steve Newlin but he stepped just out of reach of my fingers. "Don't hurt him. Hurt me instead."

"Allison no!" Eric snapped, his current tone masking the worry that was now etched in his cold features. His expression turned dark as he looked at me and his eyes showed more vulnerability then I had ever seen before. "I'm not worth it."

"Yes you are." I said, feeling my eyes well up with tears as I looked at him, wishing more then anything to just be able to get up and be in his arms again. But I knew that would never happen. Eric was powerless to do anything about the situation and I was almost crippled to the point where I could barely even turn my head without getting a shooting pain somewhere in my body. It was in that moment that I was sure this was all going to end in a very bad way. Despite what Godric had told me about it all being alright, I didn't have any faith in it now. I knew that both Eric and I were going to die in the next few hours and it was so unbelievably unfair. He and I had never truly had a chance to deepen our bond before we were ripped away from each other and if I were to die tonight, I would never be able to tell Eric the true extent of how deeply I cared for him. As I looked at him, I struggled to find the best words to convey exactly how I felt and I realized that simple was the best way to go. After all, it may very well be the last thing I ever said to him and I wanted to make it count. "Eric, I lo..."

I never got the chance to finish what I was saying because out of nowhere, Steve Newlin swung his leg back and drove his foot right into my ribcage, freezing my words in my throat as I was overcome with a new wave of pain. My vision clouded back over and I was blacking out, falling away from reality at an alarming rate and hearing Eric's voice in my ears for the last time before I fell unconscious for what may be the final time.

* * *

"Leave her alone!"

Sookie shuddered when she heard Eric's voice shout out from inside the church as she crouched down in a huddle behind the wooden doors and glanced all around her to make sure no one had seen her sneak in. She had gotten to the grounds not too long ago and she had managed to creep in without anyone noticing her, mostly likely because she had broken in through the basement and came up the stairs. Luck must have been on her side for once because she hadn't run into anyone from the Fellowship yet and that was a blessing because if she had been caught then the whole plan would have gone up in smoke. But it hadn't and now it was time to do her part. She stood up and looked around her one more time. The entrance hall was still empty and the only sounds were coming from the commotion inside the church. Sookie cringed when she heard Eric beg for Newlin to leave her cousin alone. In all the time she had known him, Sookie had never heard Eric sound so worried and scared, it was proof that he did care about Allison and Sookie was determined to save them both. And that was what she used to bolster her courage as she walked to the partially opened door and slipped inside.

There was no one around at the back of the church, they were all gathered at the front where she could see Steve Newlin standing by a white altar that Eric was currently chained to. It filled her with anger to see that nothing had changed in the year since she had last encountered Steve Newlin, he was still as crazy and narrow-minded as most of the world was about vampires. And even from way back here, Sookie could make out the still form of her poor cousin who was lying in a pool of blood on the floor of the church while a group of men and women just stood around and watched. It made her heart break to see that her faith in human kind wasn't as strong as she thought it was and that reaction was obviously felt by Eric because she could spot his head turning in her direction and down the long aisle their eyes met and connected. Sookie knew she didn't have much time to act, so she stepped forward and said. "Hello Reverend Newlin. Remember me?"

"Ah Ms. Stackhouse, perfect timing." Newlin said without missing a beat. His brown eyes briefly showed shock and surprise at her appearance, but he quickly hide it and turned his body in her direction with a frown. "I had a feeling we would be seeing you again. Especially after what happened last year."

"I didn't come here to fight. I came here with an opportunity for this to all end peacefully and without blood shed." Sookie told him, stepping forward to the beginning of the long aisle and clasped her hands behind her back. "All you have to do is let my cousin and Eric go. And no one has to react violently. It's as simple as that."

"I don't think you have put much thought into this." Newlin piped up with a deeper frown on his face then before. He stepped down to the floor and stood at the opening of the aisle on his side. "I'm not just going to change my plans just because you have asked. Things are in motion and I refuse to stop them."

"Think it through very hard." Sookie warned him, glancing around her at the sides of the church where she could make out a few men and boys moving towards her. "You have angered not only me but the entire vampire community. And if you don't stop this, then they will take revenge on this whole church. So I am giving you the chance to stand down and take the higher road for once."

"I don't think so." Newlin shouted at her, his voice vibrating through the pews with more cruelty then she expected in a man of God. "Gentlemen, grab her and let's teach her a lesson as well."

Sookie watched as a small group of Fellowship members rushed forward intending to overwhelm her but she was ready for them. There were only maybe a handful of followers coming at her so she wasn't too worried about defending herself, she knew she would be able to take them on. So she stood there, pretending like she wasn't going to fight back and as soon as they were near enough to grab her, she brought her hands out from behind her back and whipped them into the space in front of her. The white light shot out faster then ever before and exploded out of her fingertips and hit all the men square in the chest. Each one of them flew backwards from the force and landed on the hard concrete floor with a sickening thud that left them looking dazed and confused but not too badly injured. When they had gathered themselves enough to get to their feet, they tried charging her again, but as she had done just seconds ago, Sookie pushed them back with her light and stood there in the midst of the group standing alone while the men scrambled away from her. She looked down the aisle at Newlin and was able to make out his shocked expression and she grinned. It had worked, the focus was on her now. She began walking forward, keeping her eyes on Newlin's face as she slowly came to a stop in the middle of the aisle and leaned against the side of a pew. "One more time Mr. Newlin. Release Allison and Eric before someone gets hurt. You're not going to win this."

"Oh really?" He asked, cocking his head to the side with a smirk. "I'm afraid the joke is on you Ms. Stackhouse. There is only one of you fighting against an entire group of us. The odds are stacked against you."

And for a moment, Sookie believed him. Because as she had been walking, she had failed to pay attention to the new group of followers who had crept in the door where she had entered and when she turned to look over her shoulder, she saw an even larger amount of men closing in on her. She glanced to the side and there were 10 more moving through the pews on each side of the church, blocking off any escape for her. She was stuck now in that aisle and even with her powers, she couldn't fight off 35 men. One of them was bound to take her down while she was blasting away the others. She swallowed hard and looked around nervously. This was really bad. She wasn't supposed to be in this particular situation, where she would have to battle it out just to survive. And no there was no sign of the vampire army anywhere. Sookie was trapped and Newlin knew it, hence why his smile got bigger as the circle of men continued to tighten around her. She could see the crazed look in some of their eyes and she didn't have to read their thoughts to know that Newlin's orders were the only things on their minds. She felt a rough hand wrap around her arm, and yank her backwards, causing her to trip and fall to the floor. There was the movement of an arm being raised, prepared to surely hit her into unconsciousness. She had barely opened her mouth to scream before...

"Steve Newlin, you have flamed the fires of hatred for far too long. And now it is time to pay." Bill's voice spoke up from the back of the church and they all whipped their heads towards the doors to see a group of angry looking vampires standing there with their firsts clenched and her fiancee standing in the forefront as if he were the leader. Sookie locked eyes with him, relief spreading over her to see that back up had arrived. A ripple of fear went through the minds of the men that stood around her and they all stepped away while they eyed the army of vampires nervously. Sookie heard the rustling of chains and she knew Eric had spotted them as well. And it was his voice that spoke next.

"The end has come. And it's not the end of us. It is the end of you..."

**A/N: i am so sorry for the logn wait for this chapter. My laptop backlight blew out and i can barely see the screen and in order to write anything i have to borrow my friend's computer from time to time in roder to get any updates out. So there wont be as long a wait for the next chapter, but it probably wont be for a few days because i have to return this laptop to her. but i promise you guys the wait will be worth it**


	25. The Battle

**Chapter 25 The Battle**

"And the fun begins." Pam said out with a smirk as she stepped through the broken doorway and over the still bodies of the humans she had just knocked out with one punch and made her way into the main room of the church. She grinned brightly when she saw the members of the Fellowship standing around in shock as the other vampires filed in and stood in a formidable huddle at the back of the church, ready to pounce at any second. Sookie was caught in the middle of the aisle, looking scared but ready to fight as well, which pleased Pam since they needed as many on their side as possible. As she walked across the front of the church and spotted that bastard Newlin, her gaze was drawn downward by the heavy smell of blood that hung in the air and her eyes widened at the sight of Allison lying motionless on the floor in a wide-spread pool of blood. For the briefest of seconds, Pam was overcome with the desire to taste that blood, it smelt so delicious. But as quick as the thought entered her mind, it was gone and she turned her focus to the altar where her maker was currently silvered to and she immediately moved forward to release him. But of course it wasn't going to be that simple.

"I'm going to get you." A fanatic shouted from off to the side and instantly ran at her with a stake raised high in the air. Pam smirked in utter amusement and came to a complete stop even though she could had flashed by him easily. But she was going to have some fun and waited until he was a few feet away before she reached out and wrapped her hand around his wrist and with a quick twist, she snapped his arm, feeling the bones break apart easily and soon the blubbering human was on the floor at her feet screaming. "You bitch!"

"And proud of it sweetheart." Pam hissed in passing as she reached in her back pocket and slipped on the heavy pair of gloves she would need to remove the silver from her maker. She had just gotten them on when she sensed movement behind her and quickly side stepped to avoid being staked by another human who fell flat on his face in front of her. She immediately jumped on his back and grabbed a handful of his hair to yank his head back. She clicked out her fangs and without a second thought, she plunged them deep into the pulsating vein in front of her, relishing the sweet taste of blood as it slid down her throat. The man screamed in agony as she drank from him and she felt more of a thrill come from the feeding when he struggled. But she knew now was not the time for this. So she let the human go and watched him scurry away with his hand over the wound in his neck and smirked as she wiped her blood soaked lips with the back of her hand. "Mmmm, that was yummy."

"You are going to pay for that you know." Steve Newlin snapped from the other side of the church and even though he sounded threatening, he made no move to confront her and instead chose to cower by the first row of pews like the coward that he was. "God will punish you all for this."

"No, I don't think so." Pam shot back before rushing forward to the altar and leaned over Eric's trapped form. He had deep red welts covering his skin where the silver had stuck to him and she could see and hear the crackling of steam as it rose in the air. She had been silvered once or twice in her lifetime and she knew the pain of it. She placed her hand on her maker's face and asked, "Are you alright?"

"I will be once you get these damn things off me." Eric groaned, wiggling around under the silver chains before turning his gaze to her. "It took you long enough to get here."

"Oh stop your bitching. I showed up didn't I?" She glared at her maker's typical response to a serious situation and went about unknotting and removing the chains to free him. There was so much of it and even for a vampire it was taking a little longer to set Eric loose even when she was going as fast as she could. She heard him sigh heavily and shot a look at him. "What?"

"Can you hurry up? I kind of want to kill Newlin sometime this century." Eric growled as she hurriedly yanked the chains off him and watched with a wince as he flinched and shuddered at the pain of the removal. When she finally threw down the last of the silver, Eric immediately swung his legs over the side of the altar and jumped down to bring himself up to his full height, further putting the threat of fear in the air now that the trapped vampire was finally free. Eric looked down at her and grinned. He was ready to fight and the first one to die was going to be Newlin and Pam found that to be extremely fitting.

"So master...should be get this party started?" She asked him, crossing her arms as they surveyed the scene before them. The humans gathered in small clumps throughout the church while the vast vampire army stood at the back awaiting for the official call, even Bill looked ready to kill something. Eric laughed and then raised his chin in the air to address the troops.

"Hurt them. Every single one of them..."

* * *

"You know, this is more fun then I thought." Eric grinned at Pam as they stood side by side and watched the chaos starting to unfold inside the church. The moment he had given orders for the attack to start, the vampires had descended on the Fellowship members and the sounds of screams and snapping limbs had filled the air in a matter of seconds. And it was a satisfying thing to see. But as much as he enjoyed seeing his quest for revenge being carried out, there was a more pressing matter to attend to that the other vampires had been forbidden to execute. And that was the destruction of Steve Newlin himself, who was slowly trying to slip passed the still body of Allison and make a run for the door. Eric glanced at Pam and said, "Go join the battle. I have a Reverend to dismember."

"Gladly boss." Pam replied with a childlike glee and she disappeared from his side and into the fray of fighting bodies while he turned his focus on the human who had brought pain down on his life numerous times and was now trying to back away from him.

"I told you you weren't going to get away so easily." Eric hissed as he readied himself to pounce across the floor and snap that man's neck. He stalked forward, taking a moment to watch as Newlin's eyes filled up slightly with fear. He wanted to draw this out as long as he could to make up for all the pain and anguish he had inflicted on the poor girl lying at his feet. "Are you ready to die?"

"Oh I don't plan on dying just yet." Steve said with a sudden and unexpected rise of confidence in his voice. He placed his hands on hips and shrugged his shoulders. "I still have so much to dish out."

"You won't be carrying out any more punishment." Eric told him, glancing down to the floor where Allison was beginning to stir and he couldn't wait to kill Newlin so he could take her away and heal her. The pain she was feeling was now radiating through him as if it were his own, it was almost too much to bear. "Get away from her so she doesn't have to see me kill you."

"Are all vampires so full of themselves that they think they are always the ones in control?" Newlin asked, kneeling down and placing his hand on Allison's throat. "Because you're not."

"Oh I think I am." Eric growled, feeling anger rise up in him at the sight of seeing someone else's hands on Allison's body. No one else was supposed to touch her, that right was reserved for him and him alone. And if he wasn't already pissed beyond his limit, seeing Newlin touch her definitely put him there.

"Guess again fanger." Newlin shouted suddenly taking Eric by surprise and then he moved quickly before Eric could formulate his attack plan. Newlin reached down and yanked Allison up to her feet, but she was so weak and broken that she couldn't stand on own, so Newlin had to lock an arm around her to keep her up. The movement and sudden upheaval of her body brought on a cry of pain from her and Eric saw the anguish fill her eyes as Newlin quickly reached behind and drew out a gun that he proceeded to place against Allison's temple without so much as a second thought. Eric froze in his spot ,unable to even move as the image sank into his head of the unhinged Newlin with the barrel of the pistol pointed directly at Allison's head. "Who's the one in charge now?"

"Leave her alone." A strangled cry yelled out from across the room and everyone paused as Sookie ran up the aisle and stood with Eric as Steve continued to hold his grip on Allison, who was whimpering in pain as she hung there against the Reverend's body, blood trickling down to the floor. Sookie's hand somehow found his arm and she had a surprisingly tight grip as they both stood there in silence and watched as Newlin sent a glare in their direction. "Oh my god, please put the gun down. Don't kill her please."

"You're begging is not going to help you now Ms. Stackhouse. It's too late for that." Newlin narrowed his eyes, the non-threatening look was gone from his features and was now replaced with a crazy expression that made everyone around them pause, including the vampires. "Now I'm not all about killing people without a reason, so don't give me one. Stand down and I won't have to do something I regret."

"And why should we believe you?" Eric yelled, his hands crushing into tight fists. "You already went back on your word once before. How do we know you will stick to it this time?"

"I guess you don't really know." Newlin pondered, cocking his head to the side and sent them all a look of disdain before nodding at Allison. "But do you really want to risk it?"

"Please. Just don't hurt her. We'll do anything you want. But please...please don't shoot her. She's the closest thing to family that I have besides my brother." Sookie sobbed at his side, pleading with Newlin to release Allison who was barely conscious as it was. It was obvious she wasn't going to last much longer in this condition, her heartbeat was getting slower by the minute but at least she stood a chance if Newlin didn't shoot her. Sookie took a step forward, holding her hands up in surrender. "Please Mr. Newlin, don't take my cousin away."

"Then tell all those vampires to back the fuck down!" Newlin screamed, tightening his grip on the gun. "You don't think I'll do it? The bullets in this thing are hollow point bullets. They are designed to do the maximum amount of damage possible. So if I shoot this little bitch in the head, she will be dead before she hits the ground and no amount of vampire blood will be able to save her. So do not push me..."

"Alright alright." Eric grudgingly said, turning to face to the church full of vampires and regretfully said, "You heard him, stand down."

"Now that is more like it." Newlin smiled in satisfaction and sighed happily. "See, it's all about compromise."

"You're treading on dangerous ground Newlin." Eric told him, watching as the others released the humans they had been attacking and began moving away from them, but not without a glare. Eric glanced at Sookie and whispered, "Use your powers."

"What?" Sookie shot a look at him so fast she didn't have a second to formulate an expression. "I can't do that."

"Yes you can. Just hit him with that white light and get him away from her, that way I have a chance to get her out of here." Eric explained, keeping his eyes on Newlin and Allison. "It's the only way to have everyone get out of here alive, including her."

"Eric, you're not seeing the whole picture." Sookie whispered up at him, her eyes widening and looking across the floor. "I can't use my powers. From this angle, one slip up could cause him to pull that trigger. It's not safe."

"Then what are we supposed to do then?" Eric snapped, looking over his shoulder as Bill and Pam caught up to them. "How are we going to get through this?"

"I have an idea. It's a long shot, but I think it is the only other option we have." Sookie told him, biting down on her bottom lip and stared at Newlin nervously. "I may not be able to use my powers, but that doesn't mean Allison can't use hers."

"She's barely conscious, she doesn't have the energy to fight anyone off." Eric protested, watching as Allison struggled to hold her head up. "She can't do it."

"Let me try to reach out to her mind. It's worth a try."

_

* * *

__Allie, please look up at me. I know how much pain you are in, but I need you to do this. Your life depends on it._

Sookie watched as her cousin struggled to move her head upright and it pained her to see the strain to do this simple movement. But Allison's injuries were so extensive that the slightest jolt was painful and asking her to do something as to look someone in the eye was practically killing her. She swallowed hard, feeling her heart thudding in her chest as she waited. She couldn't speak out loud because Newlin couldn't know what was being planned and the last thing they needed was for him to react out of anger. So the only thing left to do was reach out and forge a connection with their minds.

_Sookie...I can't hold on too much longer...I'm barely in the moment as it is. Please help me..._

"Oh Allie." Sookie found herself whispering as her lip quivered with sadness. She fought the urge to cry as her poor cousin managed to lift her head and lock eyes with their group, particularly with her. The bruising of her skin was the most sickening sight she had ever seen and she wanted to look away but she couldn't. Allie was barely to hold a connection as it was and keeping eye contact made it easier.

_Allie, listen to me very closely. I'm trying to help you, but I can't use my powers. Newlin has too close a grip on that gun and if I try to use my powers from where I am standing, he could slip up and shoot you. So you need to try and use your powers to get away from him. It's the only way to save yourself._

"Are you ready to talk compromise?" Newlin asked, eying them all suspiciously as he tightened his grip on both Allison and the gun. He looked around the church at the crowds of injured people and still angry vampires and said. "Or do I just shot her and get it over with?"

"Just give us a few minutes." Sookie spoke up before either of the two male vampires behind her could. She set her gaze back on Allison's bloodied face and squeezed her hands together. It was all she could do to stop herself from doing something stupid.

_Sookie, I can't do it. I'm too weak._

_You still have to try. You need to fight for your life or else it will all be gone. And I can't live without you. You're my family and you know I look at you like the sister I never had. So please find the strength some where. Because if you die, I don't know how I will be able to go on._

_I'm so tired and I hurt so bad. I just want to give in to this darkness and sleep..._

_No you don't. Don't you dare talk like that in my presence. I won't even stand for it. And if you don't try and fight, then I will die right by your side and I know you don't want that. So please try...just try...for me_

_Ok._

"Aw what's the matter? Are you hurting right now?" Newlin taunted harshly, shaking poor Allison roughly to the point where she almost looked like she was ready to scream out loud, but she remained silent and dropped her head slightly. Sookie watched out of the corner of her eye as Allison wiggled her fingers the tiniest bit as if she were trying to inject life back into them and for the tiniest of moments, Sookie saw a faint light emitting from them. But they flickered out like a candle when Newlin shook her again and pressed the gun barrel harder into her temple. "Not going to say anything this time?"

"Come on Allison. You can do this." Sookie whispered under her breath, which Bill heard because the next second, his hand found hers and squeezed it comfortingly. They all were watching her, silently cheering on, but it was Eric who had the most intense look of all on his face. The former viking's features were drawn so tight and he looked so concerned that it didn't even seem like him. He was so focused on her cousin that he barely noticed when Sookie reached out and slipped her hand around his wrist.

_Focus Allie...just focus and do it. We'll handle it afterward...just get away from him.._

Sookie continued to watch Allison struggle and it was getting harder and harder to hold on to hope that was was going to work. The more she tried to pull energy up to the surface, the weaker she looked and the less it seemed that she was going to be able to break away. This was going to it. If Allison didn't get it done now, then all would be lost. There would be nothing else to do but to comply with Steve Newlin and not a single person on their side was willing to do that. They had all come here to get revenge and Steve was not getting out of here without getting punished in some capacity. And if it wasn't for the tense hostage situation at the moment, Sookie would have already done something about it. But she knew she couldn't. It would have to be Allison and Allison alone. If only she could summon the energy from somewhere...

"Sookie." Bill nudged her with his hand and motioned over to Allison. "Look."

Sookie followed where Bill was pointing to and her gaze landed back on Allison's hands and she nearly felt her heart leap into her throat. There was as stronger light growing out of the brunette's fingertips, stronger then it had ever been before. Allison didn't look like she had noticed, but she must have because she lifted her head just now and their eyes met before she began clenching her hands weakly. Sookie didn't know how it happened, but Allison managed to lift her arms quickly and knock the gun he was holding off kilter so it was no longer pointing at her head. And then before Newlin could get a hold of himself, Allison shoved her hands in his face and the white light enveloped his entire head, blasting him off his feet and sent him flying through the air away from her. The light had hit him so hard that he was thrown through a wall nearby and landed oEricn the other side with a sickening crunch and there was no movement to be seen from him. Sookie's mouth fell open in shock as she looked at Allison, who had succumbed to her pain and fallen to the floor in a small heap where she too was no longer moving.

"Oh god." Sookie barely managed to say before chaos started erupting again.

* * *

"You guys handle this. I need to get her out of here finally." Eric stated to Bill and Pam and they both nodded and headed back into the fray of charging vampires, leaving Sookie at his side who was still in shock. Eric had to shake her before she came to and focused her eyes on him. "It's going to be ok."

"You keep saying that." She grumbled, stumbling forward as they both rushed over to the fallen girl who was laying on her side with her eyes closed and her chest barely rising. It didn't take a genius to see that Allison had taken a turn for the worse, her strength and energy completely gone and leaving her wiped out and at the mercy of anything around her.

Eric immediately placed his hands on her face, gently tapping on her skin to waken her but she did not respond. He didn't want to jolt her harshly and further injure her body but he needed a sign from her to know she was still there, because at this point, he could hardly hear her heart beating and that was a terrible realization. He grabbed her by her tiny shoulders and shook her, but she simply lay there on the floor in her blood, not moving and scarcely even breathing. Eric felt a wave of panic beginning to swell up inside of his cold chest and he knew at that moment that he was losing her. He could feel the life starting to slip away from her and if he didn't get her some blood soon then she would die and he would be alone. He looked around him, seeing the battle still raging on and he knew he wouldn't be able to heal her here. It was too dangerous and anything could happen to stop him from giving her his blood. He would have to take her back to the hotel where it was safe and secure. Thankfully it was only a few miles away and if he flew then he would get there in no time at all. With that settled, he gathered Allison's almost lifeless body up in his arms despite Sookie's protest about being gentle and started moving towards the exit.

"Eric, what are you doing?" Sookie asked, running to keep up with him as Bill began making his way over to them.

"I'm taking her back to the hotel to save her life. That's what I am fucking doing." Eric snapped, his tone coming out harsher then he intended it to but right now he wasn't worrying about how he sounded. The only thing he cared about was making her he didn't this girl that he was holding, he just couldn't. He turned to look at Sookie and said, "Tell Bill and Pam to finish up and then to get out of here. The fight's done. So get yourself back to the hotel."

"Ok." Sookie nodded, and then ran across the floor towards Bill while Eric kicked the door open and stepped out into the dark night and wasted no time before he launched himself into the air and began flying away.

Eric felt the rush of wind brush over his skin and he looked down at Allison where her head was tucked in against his chest and he sighed heavily at the sight of her. She wasn't supposed to have this happen to her, it wasn't fair. No one should have had to go through the torture and pain that she had endured. He may not have cared for humans, but her cared for her and was willing to anything to ensure that she came back to him. He couldn't lose her now. Not when he was just allowing himself to open up to her and feeling things he hadn't ever remembered feeling even when he was human himself. They had barely begun their journey together and he wasn't ready to have it all come crashing down around him when it was through no fault of his own. He would do whatever he had to do to keep her alive. He refused to lose her. It just wasn't a possibility in his mind. He looked down at Allison's still form in arms, taking in the silent curves of her face and the punishment her body had taken and wished more then anything that she had never been forced to endure this. She was going to scarred mentally for a long time after this and he could only hope that he could keep her alive so she could even get to that point.

"Allison, I know you probably can't hear me or anything, but if you can, just know that everything is going to be alright. I'm going to save you." Eric told her as he could see the outline of the hotel come into view just up ahead. He touched her face with his hand, her skin still electrifying to him even with the state she was in. Whether he liked to admit it or not, she had worked her way into his life and awoken feelings in him that he had always pushed away because he didn't want to feel those emotions. But with her, he was powerless to stop it from happening and her current state right now was forcing him to finally come to terms with what Godric had been hinting at all this time. He pressed his lips against her bleeding head and tasted her essence on his tongue and he sighed as what he was feeling came bubbling up to the surface.

"I love you Allison Stackhouse and I am not about to let you die on me..."


	26. Cry to me

**Chapter 26 Cry to me**

_"Allison...Allison, wake up." A soft voice spoke into my ear, tickling my skin with it's coolness and I was forced to open my eyes when a gentle hand was placed on my cheek. My vision was blurry, but I was able to make out the image of someone hovering over me and when he spoke again, I knew exactly who it was. That young, calm tone was a sound I would know anywhere. And I felt a sigh of relief escape my lips when he spoke. "It's about time you came back."_

_"Godric." I found myself smiling brightly as he helped me sit up and then get to my feet with a strong hand as I blinked my eyes to help clear my vision and focus on the vampire in front of me. He was dressed in all white as he had been the last time I saw him, but instead of me being clothed in a beautiful white dress, I was wearing the blood stained and ripped clothing I had been in when I blacked out and upon realizing this I looked up at Godric and met his eyes with a sad smile. "This is it, isn't it?"_

_"What do you mean young one?" He asked, his young face twisting into a frown as he appeared confused by my statement._

_"I'm dead. I mean I have to be. Things just feel so different then they did the last time." I explained, looking down at my tattered clothes and sighed. "I don't feel like myself. I don't feel like I am connected to my body anymore. I feel completely ripped apart. Why is that?"_

_"Because you are in a state of transition. You are caught in between two places. Your own world and the world where you could be going, which would be what you humans call heaven, I suppose." Godric replied with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "You were so badly beaten and left to suffer for so long that your life could go either way at this point."_

_"But...the church. There was a battle...and lots of vampires showed up. And Eric was there. He saved me, he took me away from it all." I stumbled over my words in my haste to try and make sense of what I had been able to take in before I fell under. I didn't remember much except for the pain and fear I had felt as I lied there on the church floor, bleeding out in front of everyone. But then something hit me just then and it made me pause as I looked at Godric suddenly. "He gave me his blood, didn't he?"_

_"Yes." Godric nodded, reaching out to take my hand in his cool hand and we began walking side by side across the snow white fields as he tried to make me understand what was going on. "After Eric took you from the Fellowship, he flew back to the hotel with you and laid you on the bed in his room to give you his blood. He had to give you quite a bit of it to replenish the amount you lost and although he was able to get it into your system, you have not woken up yet. You still lie on that bed, unmoving because your fate hasn't been decided yet."_

_"Well who decides it?" I demanded, pulling him to a stop in the middle of all that whiteness and glared at him. "Who gets to decide whether I live or die?"_

_"You do my dear. It is your choice to make and no one else's." He told me, his hand finding its way to my face and he held it there. "And that's the reason why you are stuck here. Because you haven't decided which way you want to go."_

_"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked, feeling the weight of his words hitting me on the back of my shoulders and I had to grab on to him for support._

_"It means that you have two options. Either you have to fight through this and go back to a world of fear and pain and heartache and to people who are always going to be waiting to take you down or you give in to your anguish and admit defeat. The choice is yours." Godric pointed out, steadying me with his strong hands and then looped his arm through mine as we began walking again. "But I think you should go back. Your time isn't up yet."_

_"But you said it yourself that if I fight back then there is going to always be some kind of pain or suffering waiting for me. So why bother fighting it?" I questioned, shaking my head sadly. "It's better if I just let go and stay here."_

_"And what? Abandon all the people who care about you?" He retorted, his voice hanging in the air in front of us like cold breath on a winter's morning. "You would leave your cousins, Sookie and Jason? Your friends? And what about Eric?"_

_"He'll get over me." I pointed out to the 2,000 year old vampire, wishing beyond anything that I could believe what I was saying. "Eric will be fine."_

_"Are you sure of that?" Godric pulled me to a stop and placed his hands on my shoulders and forced me to look at him. "Can you honestly tell me that you truly believe Eric will be fine with your passing? Because I don't think he will be. In fact, I think it will destroy him. And I know the real Eric Northman. He won't recover from this."_

_"That's what you think?" I asked, my lip quivering despite my attempts to still it. "You think Eric won't be able to get passed my death?"_

_"That's exactly what I think. Allison, don't you see it?" Godric tilted his head and looked at me with that genuine smile of his. "Eric doesn't just want you for all the reasons that he understands. He needs you in ways that he can't even comprehend. And he's just beginning to grasp what it means to feel something like this and to have it taken away before it even truly begins is not fair to either of you. So fight, fight for your life and go back to him. He's waiting for you to return to him."_

_"I'm scared though." I admitted to the vampire who had quickly become a friend to me even though it had only been a few times I had been in his presence. "How can I go back to a world where it seems like every time I turn around, I end up getting hurt? What's the point of holding on to it all?"_

_"Because you have something worth holding on to, something that is so genuine and raw in it's own way that to let it slip through your fingers is just pure stupidity." Godric pointed out, amusement playing throughout his face. "I know you fear the unexpected, but with as intensely as you fear about things, it will feel just as strongly in a good way when you finally let go."_

_"I don't want to leave everyone behind, I would miss them too much." I mumbled, speaking more to myself then to Godric. I knew myself well enough to know that if I let my fear stick around any longer then it would be harder and harder to resist it and I would give up fighting. If I just took a chance and started battling back for my life then maybe I stood a chance for when I returned to the real world. If I could survive this, then maybe there was hope for me surviving anything else life would throw at me. But I wouldn't know unless I tried. I focused my eyes back on Godric, who was looking at with a smirk on his face like he knew what I had decided. I laughed and crossed my arms. "You knew I was going to end up going back, didn't you?"_

_"Of course I did. You wouldn't be you if you just gave in. That's not part of who you are." He let me know, taking both my hands in his and gave them a squeeze. "You're going to be fine. And I will always be here, watching over you and waiting to dispense my wise knowledge."_

_"I don't want to go and leave you here." I said, stepping forward and surprising both of us when I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Godric held me close to his chest, laying my head on the space between his neck and shoulder while his fingers gently touched the ends of my long hair. I found my vision going blurry again, but this time it was from tears and I was helpless to stop them from overflowing, once they started it seemed like they wouldn't stop. It didn't make sense for me to feel this way, to feel like I was losing a friend. I barely knew anything about Godric, except for the things I had been told about. I had only met him a few times and each time it was in a dream state, so its not like it was real. But I still felt like I had formed some kind of attachment to him in this short period of time and it hurt to part from him. I pulled back slightly so I could look at him and when his eyes saw my tears, he immediately wiped them away with his fingers just like any of my friends would have done. I smiled and said. "I wished we could have met in real life."_

_"I wish that too." Godric answered back, tucking my hair over my shoulders. "It would have been an honor to call you my friend. I'm glad I got to know you through these visions."_

_"Why did you come to me?" I asked him, curious about the whole thing. It didn't seem like a coincidence that the maker of the vampire I loved, would suddenly appear to me and offer me words of comfort in the hellish week I had spent at the Fellowship. It just didn't sit right. "I mean, you knew nothing about me, so why would you..."_

_"It was just something I needed to do." He stated simply, tucking his hands under his arms as he looked down at me. "And now we both need to go."_

_"Am I ever going to see you again?" I wanted to know, feeling another tear roll down my face and once more he made it disappear with the tip of his finger. "I hate to think that this may be it."_

_"Don't fret little fae. We will encounter each other again soon. Perhaps sooner then you think." He told me cryptically, placing his hands on either side of my face and pulled me forward, bringing his lips down on my forehead and kissed me gently before I was released. He stepped back and stuck his hands in his pockets and said. "Good bye Allison Stackhouse."_

_"Good bye Godric..."_

And that's when I opened my eyes with a start and saw that a figure was leaning over me just like in my vision with Godric. But it wasn't Godric and it wasn't Eric. It wasn't even a vampire who was at my bed side. It was my cousin Sookie.

* * *

**10 minutes later**

"Oh my lord." Sookie could only whisper as she stared down at the bewildered looking girl on the bed who had sat up only moments ago for the first time in 24 hours. One second there had been complete silence and no movement of the near lifeless body of her cousin. And then suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she rocketed up into a sitting position where she had stayed for the past few minutes, not saying a word. It was a total shock and a jolt to Sookie's system when Allison just woke up out of nowhere. She had been asleep for so long, that they all thought Eric's attempts to save her had failed. He had given her more blood then he had ever given anyone and although her injuries had faded and appeared to heal themselves, Allison still remained on that bed like a corpse, never moving or giving any sign that she was alive. Neither Bill or Eric could sense a heartbeat and Sookie had tried to read her cousin's mind to see if there was any activity going on in her head, but Allison's mind and connection seemed to be completely cut off as if had never been there in the first place. It scared them all so deeply that Bill had been ready to call the hospital to have them come and take the body away. But Sookie had stopped him, she had a feeling that although Allison appeared dead, that the brunette would eventually wake up, they just needed to give her time and Bill gave in and agreed with her. Eric of course had yelled at the two of them and said they were both stupid and out of their minds to think that she was still alive and Eric had ended up stomping out of the room and he hadn't been seen since then. And that was over 24 hours ago. Sookie herself had begun to convince herself that this was it, and Allison truly was dead and she might as well admit it and call the hospital. But then the sound of gasping air drew her attention away from the phone and to the bed where Allison had just sat up in and was staring around the room with big eyes like she could barely understand what was going on. It was hard to believe it, but she was alive.

"Sookie." Allison's weak voice called out to her and she immediately scooted across the bed to sit beside her cousin, who turned to look at her and Sookie felt her heart crumble when she saw the tears in the younger girl's eyes. Allison hesitantly reached out and Sookie instinctively wrapped her arms around her cousin, just like she had so many times before when they were young. Allison's body was still weak and frail as she leaned against Sookie, but she was very much alive. And that was evident when she began shaking with sobs. "Sookie, I'm alive."

"I know, I know." Sookie replied, finding her own eyes beginning to overwhelm with tears as she held on to the tiny girl with all the strength she dared to use. Allison laid her head on Sookie's shoulders and let the tears just fall as fast as they wanted to and Sookie just sat there on the bed holding her, trying and failing to stay strong. She leaned her head against Allison's brunette hair and stared across the room to where Bill was standing in the corner watching them with red streaks starting to show on his pale skin. The sight of her vampire fiancee crying made Sookie's own tears roll faster down her cheeks and no amount of wiping could dry her face. Bill watched her for a moment longer before he began noiselessly heading towards the door and Sookie called out to him before he left the room. "Where are you going?"

"I need to find Eric. He should know that she is awake." Bill informed her and then he was gone with only the sound of the door closing signifying his exit. Sookie watched the door for a moment of two, so sure that Bill would be back in a split second with Eric trailing behind him. But then she remembered that Eric had fled the hotel grounds and was now roaming the streets of Dallas, most likely on a depressed rampage so it could take Bill a while to track him down. So Sookie took this time to focus on her cousin and the pure delight of knowing that her life hadn't been lost.

"We were starting to believe that you were gone. Bill and Eric couldn't sense your heartbeat and they were certain that you were dead." Sookie told Allison, holding the girl who was really more like a sister to her, as she explained what had happened in the day that had been spent in almost complete silence whole waiting for her awakening. "Bill was going to call someone to take you away, but I told him I just knew you would wake up and you would be ok. You needed some time to recover and you would come back."

"And I did." Allison whispered, her weak voice sounding so frail like it was just seconds away from shattering. "I almost didn't want to because I was afraid of the pain that could be waiting for me some time down the road. And I just wanted to give up."

"Why didn't you?" Sookie asked, pulling back and wiping her cheeks with both hands so she could look at her cousin clearly. "How come you didn't just stop fighting?"

"Because it dawned on me how much I would be leaving behind. And as much as I was terrified of facing something like this again, I couldn't just leave you all alone. So I made up my mind to just fight like hell to come back and that's when I opened my eyes." Allison explained, rubbing her red rimmed eyes and pushed back the blankets that covered her delicate body and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "I barely remember what happened in the church, a lot of it is fuzzy. But I know there was a big battle and I think I threw Newlin through a wall or something."

"Yea, it was pretty awesome." Sookie laughed despite herself and it ended up being the best thing because Allison looked up and started smiling, bringing more life and vitality to her eyes. But it didn't make Sookie forget her feelings about the situation and she reached between them and took Allison's hand. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner."

"You couldn't have anything any sooner then you did. You know how they are, you know how many people they have under their power. So nothing would have been any different." Allison told her, opening and closing her eyes wearily. "Please don't do that 'what if' thing that you do when you feel guilty. I love you and all but I just don't have the energy to deal with that."

"Ok." Sookie nodded in understanding and waved her hand to show she was serious. "I just..i don't even know what to say or do after finally seeing you again after all that."

"You don't have to say anything because I couldn't even begin to tell you what you should say to make me feel better. I don't know what is going to make me feel better. But you being here when I woke up is a good start. So we'll just take it from there." Allison finished with a heavy sigh and rolled her shoulders. "Damn it. I am so sore right now."

"Do you want me to get you something?" Sookie asked, her body ready to get up and dash across the room to retrieve anything her cousin might need, but Allison touched her wrist and shook her head.

"No it is ok. I will be fine. I just think I need to rest for a while. Being awake is exhausting." The brunette said, doing her best to put on a bright smile, but Sookie could see that a weariness was beginning to set in on the girl even from just being awake for less then 40 minutes.

"Are you sure you don't want..." Sookie was trying to finish her sentence when the door to the hotel suite opened again and Bill came back through, only this time he wasn't alone.

He had indeed tracked down Eric, who just pushed himself passed the younger vampire, and was now standing in the open doorway of the bed room staring at the bed with wide blank eyes that said absolutely nothing but also everything at the same time. Allison had been startled by the noise and had jumped slightly when the door opened, but the minute her eyes landed on Eric, her face was filled with so many conflicting emotions that Sookie couldn't even tell what they were. It felt weird to be sitting there on the bed while they stared at each other so intensely and without saying a word. And that was why Sookie patted Allison's hand and got up to walk across the room towards where Bill and Eric were standing. She reached Bill's side and gave him a look that said they had to leave and go back to their own room so Eric and Allie could have a moment. Bill nodded and put his hand on her waist to lead her out, but before they left, Sookie looked back into the room and saw that Eric had moved closer to the bed, his eyes never straying from Allison's face. It suddenly struck the blonde Stackhouse that the way the viking vampire was looking at the weak girl in the bed , it was the most compassionate situation she had ever seen him in. And seeing that played out before her eyes truly moved her.

Maybe she was wrong about Eric Northman.

* * *

**5 minutes later**

"Eric." I found my voice wobbling up and down as I watched him stare at me from against the wall he was leaning on, while I occasionally looked at the floor where my bare feet were nervously fidgeting as I waited for him to speak. He hadn't said a word since he walked in the room, all he did was stare at me. Almost like he didn't think I was real, like I was ghost or a figment of his imagination. Either way I needed to break the silence and start somewhere. It had seemed like forever since I had laid my eyes on him and I didn't know where to begin this first conversation, our first since my abduction from over a weak ago. I remembered seeing him in the church when he had been silvered to that altar in front of the windows, but even that felt like a lifetime ago. For some reason, being stuck between life and death felt like years had been put behind me and I couldn't recall what had happened in that time. It may have been just a few days, but all that pain and suffering really took a beating at my soul and I felt like the world had gone on without me. But I was here, granted I was weak and tired and sore as hell, but I was alive. Nothing could change that.

"Allison." Eric spoke my name so quietly that it almost sounded like a barely moving breeze, but I heard it and when I focused my eyes on his face I was startled to see that he had moved closer and disposed of his leather jacket, leaving him in his usual black tank top and black slacks. This familiar sight reminded me of how life was before the Fellowship got involved and while Eric and I had our differences, I knew he cared for me and for the most part I was happy. I tried to hold on to that feeling as I looked at him, watching as he slowly moved forward towards me.

Eric was moving the slowest I had ever seen him move. He must have seen the way I flinched when I saw that he had flashed forward and it had jolted me and now he was taking steps at a human pace, something I wasn't used to seeing from him. I wasn't used to him being so careful like that, it threw me for a minute before I was able to calm myself down and continue watching him as he came closer. He still didn't say anything and his expression didn't change, it was the same blank stare since he had stepped foot into the room and I couldn't tell what he was feeling. He was standing in front of me so close that I was sure he was going to reach down and pull me to my feet but he didn't. Instead, I saw him lowering himself down to the floor until he was kneeling on the carpet and our faces were almost level with each other. I tried to figure out something to say since he was so close to me but I never got the chance to because at that moment, Eric moved again and was now laying his head sideways in my lap, his cool cheek against the top of my thighs while his long arms reach around behind my knees and hugged my legs to his broad chest. This simple action for some reason made the tears return to my eyes and I could see them starting to pool in the corner of my eyes but I kept them there, not wanting to let myself fall apart again.

It couldn't be helped however, because they ended up spilling over and dampening my cheeks again. I moved my sore arms that had been gripping the edge of the bed and went to touch Eric when a flash of red on my skin caught my eye and I paused. I brought my arm closer to my face and was taken aback by what seemed like blood on my hand. I wasn't hurt anymore, so it wasn't my blood that I was seeing. But I felt Eric move against me and something told me to reach down and touch his cheek, so I did. And when I brought my hand back up, blood covered my fingertips and it hit me so hard that I started sobbing even harder then I had before. The realization so intense that it was almost too much to bare but at the same time it was probably the greatest gift I had ever received because it said so much about what was to come.

Eric Northman was kneeling before me with his head in my lap and crying tears of blood for me. The great and powerful vampire, that was one of the most formidable creatures I had ever encountered, was in the most vulnerable state I had ever seen him in. He had opened himself up to this great pain and he was showing it with no sign of trying to cover it up. He may never show this side of himself ever again, but for those few minutes, I saw Eric Northman through different eyes. And I saw him not as a vampire, but as the man I had fallen in love with. And those precious moments said a lifetime of words that had already begun to heal my broken soul.


	27. With You

**Chapter 27 With you**

"No!" My voice screamed out in the darkness as I was jolted from a restless slumber with my heart pounding wildly and began flailing my arms and legs in an attempt to fight off unseen enemies. It was only a split second later before a pair of steel arms locked around my body and started to shake me violently, forcing me to snap my eyes open and focus my gaze on the dark face hovering above me. Even in the near darkness, I could make out the pale skin and the slicked back blonde hair of Eric Northman and it dawned on me that I was ok. There was no trouble brewing and no one was trying to hurt me. I had only had a nightmare but I had woken up and I was lying in bed with Eric and we were alone. I was perfectly safe and yet I felt completely terrified, every nerve in my body strung tight and tense with fear as I lay there under the sheets with my hands clenched into fists on the bed beside me. I couldn't see the expression on Eric's face which was a good thing because I felt mortified at my outburst and I went to cover my eyes with my hands, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He asked, his cool hands moving from my arms up to my wrists until he gently tugged my hands down away from my face.

"I don't know, for being a weak and stupid girl." I muttered back, breathing heavily through my nose as he reached across my cheek and flicked the tear away with his finger. I sighed into his touch, feeling a light comfort come from having his hand on me and said. "I had a nightmare and I wake up screaming like a child. I knew I was safe when I fell asleep earlier, but then I reacted like a …."

"Like any normal person would." He finished for me, his voice sounding uncharacteristically soft and caring which I wasn't used to but I welcomed it anyway. I don't know how I would have dealt with it if Eric had been his usual snarky self, it was just something I didn't have the energy to take in at the moment. Eric tapped on my face, bringing me to look up at him in the dark and he said. "You were traumatized and tortured in ways that I couldn't have imagined coming from the Fellowship. So it is only natural for you to be having nightmares about it. But it will pass."

"I don't want you to think I can't handle what happened to me." I whispered, feeling upwards until my hand came in contact with his face. I felt him respond to my touch, maneuvering his body against me until we were practically joined as one. I bit my lip as I felt his cold breath on my nose and said "I don't...i don't want you to think I am weak."

"You are not weak. Do you understand me?" Eric demanded, his tone getting slightly heavy as his fingers found their way to my hand and wound themselves around mine, a gesture that brought tears back to my eyes and I had to turn my head away so he couldn't see. But Eric grabbed my chin with his other hand and forced me to look at him. "You will never be weak in my eyes so don't you ever say that in my presence ever again. Is that clear?"

"Yes." I answered softly, a small smile appearing on my lips at the return of Eric's normal attitude and I felt some of my fear lessen as he looked down at me. I brought my hands back up to his face and settled them on the back of his neck. "You're right."

"I always am." Eric's smirk could be heard in his words as he leaned down and I felt his lips brush against my skin, kissing my tears away until my face was dry again and the only sound came from the two of us breathing, even when he didn't need to. His mouth lightly pressed against mine, kissing me more sweetly then I can ever remember him doing before he pulled back and said. "Your body is still healing and you need more rest. Go back to sleep."

"I'm scared though." I admitted, suddenly thrust back into fear at the mere mention of sleep and my grip on his neck became tighter as soon as those words were spoken. "What if I have another nightmare?"

"Then I will wake you up. I won't leave your side." He promised, forcefully turning my body until I was lying on my side and he was pressed up against my back with his bare chest on the thin fabric of the tank top I was wearing. It felt so nice to have him lying there with me like any normal couple that I reached behind me and took his hand and draped his arm over my waist to make me feel secure enough to start settling down. I could feel how close his face was to mine as I cuddled down in that soft bed and silence fell over us. But he broke it almost as soon as it had appeared. "So, what was your nightmare about?"

"Well, it was about you." I admitted, glad that I was facing away from him, because it was easier to talk about the nightmare when I wasn't looking at him. "I was back in the church and only this time, Newlin was threatening to stake you in front of me. He kept on waving that stake in my eyes, saying it was my fault that he had to do this and then he went over to the altar and raised the stake in the air before swinging it down and that's when I started screaming."

"You were fearing for my life? That's a fear of yours?" Eric asked, his voice sounding full of doubt and disbelief at my admission. "Do you know how ridiculous that is? I am a vampire and an old one at that. There is no reason to scare yourself into nightmares over me. Nothing can harm me. I am too powerful for anyone to take me down."

"I still worry about you." I whispered, rolling over to face Eric and placed my hand on his chest, above the spot where his still heart resided. "Because, it would hurt more to see you tortured and killed then anything they could have done to me."

"And why is that?" He questioned, his voice filling up with that smug tone I had secretly come to love. He squeezed his fingers over mine while his other arm found its way around my back and pulled me closer. "Is it perhaps you care about me more then you are admitting?"

"Maybe." I replied, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment and I could hear a small laugh come from deep inside of him as he sensed the shift in my emotions. I had never thought about saying it out loud to Eric before and I certainly wasn't going to do it now. The moment just wasn't right, so I ducked my head and told him. "I'm going to sleep now. Promise me you won't leave."

"Never." Was all he said as he moved around and pulled my head down onto his bare chest and loosely fitted his arms over me as I relaxed into his embrace, feeling a new kind of thrill at the idea of spooning the great Eric Northman. I draped my arm over his waist and closed my eyes, trying to restore a sense of relief over my frazzled nerves and sighed. Eric instinctively tightened his grip when I made a noise and I moved even more closely to him. As long as we were touching, then I felt safe, like I was clinging to a buoy in turbulent, dark waters. Eric was my savior at the moment, keeping me together and alive when I wasn't able to do it for myself yet. He was putting aside his normal behavior and attempting to be the kind of person I needed at the moment, which didn't come naturally to him. But I appreciated the effort anyway. It was further proof that he too cared much more deeply then he was admitting so far. But for now, nothing else needed to be said. All I needed was to lay here in his arms and the rest would take care of itself.

* * *

**A few hours later**

_"I don't want you to think I'm weak..."_

"That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard." Eric muttered to himself as he slipped out of bed and stood there in the dark looking down at the sleeping girl under the sheets. Even with no light, his vampire senses allowed him to see every feature of her face and there was a peaceful expression there that hadn't been present when she fell asleep. Even though he had assured her he wouldn't leave the room, he could still sense the tension in her body and had laid there with her until she finally relaxed against him and drifted off to sleep. And yet, he hadn't moved for a while. He watched her sleep, taking in the way she sometimes fidgeted and mumbled in her sleep and smirked when his name passed her lips more then just a few times. He would tease her about it later, but for now he would let it go and allow her to be at peace and get some much needed rest while he went and caught a quick shower. Eric paused by the side of the bed, looking at Allison as she laid curled up in the middle with the blankets pulled over her waist and he did something that was not like him. He leaned down and stroked her cheek, wanting to feel her underneath his hand and he smiled when she moved against him, even in sleep she knew his touch and that filled him up with pride and satisfaction as he made his way into the bathroom and shut the door behind him

_"I still worry about you"_

Eric grinned as he began shedding his clothes on the tile of the bathroom and reached in to the shower to turn the faucet handle, as Allison's words from earlier came back to him. She feared for his life as if he had been a mere human and not a 1,000 year old vampire. But as he had told her, he was too powerful to be over taken and she had no reason to worry for him. She had nodded but still said that she held fear for him and he couldn't help but find a strange happiness in her confession. It had been a very long time since he had felt any true emotion coming from a human that hadn't been filled with malice and hatred. So when Allison told him, she was scared of losing him, he had felt a surge of affection for this girl which threw him off kilter for a minute. He wasn't used to being adored and worried over by a woman. Sure he had been with thousands, possibly millions by now of girls and woman who loved and fawned over him. But Allison's emotions for him were different, they were deeper and more intense and the closest thing that got him to feeling human then he ever had been. It was strange and odd but it was also something he knew he could never let go of. He would do anything and everything in his power to ensure her safety and that she remained at his side for the rest of her life. She was his and he would never allow her to belong to anyone else.

"She is mine." He smirked to himself as he pulled back the curtain and slipped into the shower and under the pounding water. He could sense the change in temperature, but with his cold skin he couldn't really feel it, but that wasn't the point of a shower for the vampire. He was in desperate need of a good cleaning since there was still stains from Allison's blood on his skin that needed to come off, seeing those remnants of her blood haunted him and he didn't want to remember the moment he had held her in his arms and truly thought he was about to lose her. It was a memory that he wanted to throw away and pretend never existed. So that's why he grabbed the soap and a wash cloth and began furiously scrubbing at his arms and legs and watched as the water turned red and brown as the dried blood washed off his body and swirled down the drain. He dropped the soap and wash cloth on the floor outside the shower and leaned against the wall for a minute, letting the water beat down on his skin and leak into his eyes, temporarily blinding him. He was just thinking of turning off the water and reaching for a towel when he heard footsteps coming at the door to the bathroom and then entering the room hesitantly and he grinned when he realized who it was that was walking so meekly. He could sense Allison standing just on the other side of the curtain and he waited for her to speak since he could feel something building up inside of her and knew that she needed to be the one who broke the silence first. But instead of saying anything, she simply slipped her hand in and pulled back the curtain, revealing her face that held a shy smile as she took in his naked body and her reddened cheeks that got even redder when she met his eyes. He smirked and crossed his arms as he looked down at her from his great height and asked. "Can I help you?"

"Yea, actually. I was just wondering if you were up for some company." Allison stated boldly, reaching out and placing her hand flat against his chest and stroked his cold skin with her fingertips which only served to deepen his smirk. He could recognize the pull of desire radiating off of her and it was very hard to resist. It was all he had thought about in the days they had been separated and now that they were together again, he wasn't going to pass it up. He would be fool for not taking the chance to be intimate with the beautiful Allison Stackhouse.

"Well, as long as you are offering, then get in here." Eric grinned and wrapped his hand around her small arm and tugged her right into the fall of water fully clothed as she fell against his chest with a laugh. He put his arm around her waist to steady her and she tilted her head back to meet his eyes and he was pleased to see the brightness had returned to her face that he had feared would have been destroyed by the Fellowship but it wasn't. He tucked a wet piece of hair behind her ear and ran his thumb across her lips before saying. "You look like you are going to say something."

"I am. But I need you to not talk back the way you usually do." She told him, placing her hands on his hips and closing her eyes with a sigh. "If I say what I want then you can't tease me about it, you just have to do what I say. Promise?"

"I promise I won't be a smart ass." Eric assured her, rolling his eyes when she nodded happily and grinned. He already knew what she was going to ask but he was willing to humor her and let her say it out loud first. He pressed against her lower back, her clothes now soaked and asked. "What do you want?"

"It's more of a need." She whispered, taking her hands away from his body and reached for the bottom of the tank top she was wearing and drew it upwards and over her head. She dropped it on the floor of the shower before leaning down and stepping out of the shorts she was wearing and kicked them away and then looked at him with nervous eyes. "I need you to make love to me. I miss you so deeply and my entire body is aching for you. And I need you to make me feel whole again. So please do this for me."

"You never have to ask me twice." He smirked, grabbing her by the back of the neck and pressed his lips against hers, grinning when she immediately grabbed on to him and moved herself into the contours of his body. The taste of her kiss had not faded in the time they had been apart, if anything it had gotten even sweeter and more intoxicating then ever. He wasted no time in reaching behind her and unsnapping her bra, throwing it down at their feet before moving down and ripping off her panties without a second for her to react. She was now standing before him, naked to his eyes and he moved his arms around so he could pull her up in the air against him and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed her against the wall. Their bodies fit together in just the right way where he could feel her arousal for him and it turned him on even more when her small hands directed his lips at her neck and he barely hesitated before his fangs came out and he sank them into the main vein in her neck, drawing blood that ran down the skin of her neck in little droplets. He heard her gasp at the pain, but she never pushed him away and he continued to drink from her, his lips never leaving her neck as his hands traveled downward.

Allison's body was just as delicate as he remembered, but it was what excited him the most because it was the polar opposite of him. He was strong and powerful and immortal and she was the tiny, breakable human moving against him. It was the differences between them that turned him on and that hadn't changed since their first night together. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his face quicken as his fingers made their way past her bare rib cage and across the skin of her hips to which she shuddered almost violently and the sound of her breathing filled his ears like nothing ever had before. He pulled his fangs out of her neck and watched her eyes stare back at him with desire as he reached down between them and pushed his fingers inside of her before she could even blink. Her green eyes grew wide at this sudden and quick action and her pretty pink mouth froze when he began twisting his hand in rhythm with her body. Her breathing had gotten heavier and she brought her hand to his face and leaned forward to kiss him while her other hand slid down his bare chest. He felt her hand move over his stomach and then the next second he could feel her fingertips stroking him at the same tempo he was was touching her. He could barely contain himself when she put her hand on him like that and it took all his restraint to hold back. But the longer they moved against each other and the more she touched him, he was finding it harder and harder to not have her completely. She pulled back from him, gaining his attention when he saw the look on her face and she pressed her lips against his ear and said in a voice that would have taken his breath away if he had any. "I need you now."

"I need you more." He said back, removing his hand from inside of her and gripping her wet hips in both hands as he moved her around against the wall and shifted his position enough where he could push himself into her, bringing on a sigh of satisfaction from her which only further served to arouse him. He brought a hand up to her face, directing her to look at him as they moved together under the shower head and she did what he wanted. Her green eyes stared into his blue ones and they never left as he rolled his hips in an attempt to fit into her as close as he could get. And there was a split second where he thrust into her more deeply then he had the first time and it left her gasping and moaning with desire but she still didn't look away. Her hands pressed on either side of his face, her thumbs running across the surface of his cold lips as the water ran down their bodies, making everything more slick and exciting. He could feel her desire startting to peak and he sped up his movement which forced her to do the same. She may not have been able to keep up with him in any other aspect since he was a vampire. But during intimacy, she held her own and feeling her move with him gave him the greatest thrill of both his human and vampire life.

"Eric." Allison moaned out his name, bringing his focus back to her and he saw her head tilted back against the wall and her eyes had closed as a wave of pleasure rocked through her body. A smile was playing across her lips as he could feel his own pleasure was starting to take over and his pace quickened even more, eliciting another moan from the brunette in his arms and he couldn't help but to reach forward and click his fangs out again. Allison's eyes opened at the noise, but she didn't stop him and instead she motioned to his wrist and a devilish grin took over her features. Eric grinned, knowing exactly what she wanted and brought his wrist to his mouth and bit into his skin to draw blood. He felt Allison tug his arm up to her lips and began sucking at the wound while he moved in and sank his fangs back into the marks he had made earlier. This was a new experience for even him. He had never feed on a human during sex while they were also drinking from him, it lent a new thrill and raw edge to the whole moment and as he moved against her and tasted her blood in his mouth, he was briefly over come with pleasure and the realization that this was a rare feeling for him and he was going to cherish every second of it. As they both started to give in to the pleasure of the moment, Eric stopped drinking from her and placed his mouth against her ear.

"You are mine, now and forever."

* * *

**45 minutes later**

"So I need to tell you something." I said to Eric as I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled a comb through my wet hair and watched him settle down on the pillows against the headboard after pulling on a pair of black boxer shorts and he grinned at me. His hair was slicked back after we had emerged from the shower and he was not inclined to put on any more clothing which I was not fighting him about. The more I got to look at his body the better. But that wasn't the main thing on my mind. I set the comb down on a nearby table and crawled across the bed until I was sitting cross legged in front of Eric. "But you can't get mad at me."

"After what we just did in the shower, there is nothing you can say to get me angry." He joked, reaching out to swirl a piece of my long hair between his fingers. "So just say it. I'm actually very curious."

"Well...when I was in the church and I was being tortured all week, there were times when I occasionally blacked out and I sort of had these dream like visions." I explained, pausing and trying to figure out the best way to tactfully bring up this subject, I knew I wanted to because I felt like it was something Eric should know about but it still made me nervous because the last time I mentioned this, he threw me on the floor and bit me. So I was a little anxious to say it. Eric made a move like he was going to speak but I held up my hand and shook my head. I needed to be the one to speak next, because if I didn't then I may never do it. I looked at his pale face and sighed. "I met Godric."

"Really." He said, his face momentarily frowning over and I was debating whether or not to say anything else or just drop the subject entirely. But before I could, Eric regained composure and met my eyes. "And what happened?"

"First off, he was incredibly sweet and nice. I can see why you two were so close and why you miss him so much." I replied, looking down at my lap where I had pressed my hands together. "And he was relief for me. He encouraged me to hold on and not give up. I actually saw him right before I woke up yesterday after the rescue. He was the one that told me to fight for my life and go back to you. He said that you needed me."

"That sounds like Godric." Eric nodded, his lips a tight line as his hand went under my chin and lifted my head up. Eric's expression wasn't full of fury but he wasn't exactly smiling either. His fingers gripped my face firmly while his blue orbs glanced at me. "Is that why you were afraid to talk? Because you thought I would lose my temper at the mention of my maker?"

"Yes." I admitted with a shrug and ran my hand through my hair. "You did kind of freak out the last time he was brought up. So I was hesitant to even say it again."

"So why did you?" Eric wanted to know.

"I just thought it was something that you should know about. That's all." I said quietly, looking down at my hands again. "I knew how you felt about him and meeting him kind of gives me new insight to how you are."

"And what would that be?" He asked, his hand wrapping around my arms and pulled me forward until I was straddling his waist with my knees on either side of his hips. Eric forced my head up and kept his hands on either side of my face so I couldn't look anywhere else but at him. "What did he tell you?"

"He didn't really tell me anything. Just that you were coming to rescue me and that I shouldn't worry." I left out the part about Godric saying that Eric loved me because I figured it was so not the right time to bring that up. I watched Eric's face soften and I couldn't help but smile. "I told him I wished he and I could have met in real life."

"I bet he loved that." Eric smirked, his grip loosening and dropping down to my shoulders. "Godric would have gotten along great with you. You two are so similar. Always trying to keep the peace, always believing in the goodness of others. That was Godric to a t."

"He misses you." I said to Eric, causing a flash of pain to appear in his eyes but it was gone as quickly as it came. "And I think he worries about you as well."

"I know that, because he also appeared to me in a vision." Eric admitted, his fingers stroking the skin on my neck where his fangs had punctured me and he sighed. "It was right after you had been abducted and we were rounding up every vampire in the area to come with us to Dallas. He came to me when Fangtasia was empty and said I was in the right with my plan for revenge. He said I should do it if I felt like it was the right thing to do. And I told him about you. He said you were different from every other human he had seen me with."

"I can only image how many others there were." I mumbled, giggling slightly while feeling uncomfortable at the thought of Eric with all those women, women much more beautiful then me, much more daring and adventurous, more experienced then me. But I shook that off and focused on Eric, who only had eyes for me at the moment. "He was so kind to me and I really felt like I had a friend in him. And he said I would see him again."

"You must tell me when you do." Eric told me, his fingertips traveling across my shoulder and over the strap of my tank top. "If Godric appears to you, it must me for a reason, so make sure you find me when you see him."

"I will." I promised Eric, sitting back on his lap to watch his face go through a torrent of emotion; anger, sadness, regret, sorrow,fury, frustration and finally anguish. I placed my hand on his face again and he met my eyes cautiously, like he was thinking I was going to call him out on his sadness and tease him about it. "You really miss him don't you?"

"I really do." He answered back honestly before a smile appeared on his lips and the old smirk filled his features. "But you are here with me and that's the only thing I need."

"The only thing?" I asked with a wicked smile as I reached down between our bodies and touched him, feeling him shift under my fingers as I stroked him lightly. I grinned and met his face again with raised eyebrows. "You want to try that answer again?"

"You are going to regret that." Eric growled, before throwing me backwards on the bed and diving on top of me.


	28. Back Home

**Chapter 28 Back Home**

"So how are you feeling?" Sookie asked me the next day as we sat side by side in the small private jet on our way back home to Bon Temps and stared out at the clouds lying below us. Eric had taken it upon himself to pay for a private plane for Sookie and I to fly home in despite my yelling at him not to. But he couldn't be budged, he was insistent on this and no amount of my pleading could change his mind. It was sweet, it really was, but I wasn't used to such extravagance. Still, I stayed quiet about it and got on the plane without making a fuss. It wouldn't be long until we were home and I couldn't wait. It seemed like ages since I had last been in my hometown and saw my friends. It would be great to be able to put all this bad stuff behind me and start fresh.

"I'm feeling pretty good actually. Almost all the soreness is gone and I feel pretty normal." I replied, turning in my seat to look at her and grinned when I saw the smile on her face. "I'm just so happy to be going home. It feels like I have been gone forever."

"I know what you mean." Sookie nodded, running her hands through her loose blonde hair as she adjusted her position in the comfortable seat. "So much has happened that it feels like years have passed by when it has only been just over a week."

"It's crazy." I mumbled in agreement, temporarily getting lost in my thoughts of all that had happened to me and my loved ones. It was the darkest and most horrific thing I had ever been forced to face and it was going to take some time before I was truly ok with it all. But luckily I had the best group of people surrounding me to help me through it. Sookie and Jason, Bill and Pam, Sam, and most of all Eric. Just the mention of his name made my lips curl up into a smile.

"Oh boy. What are you thinking about now?" Sookie asked, calling me on my expression and I instantly started turning red. She laughed at my act of shyness and crossed her arms in triumph. "Let me take a wild guess and say it is Eric."

"Guilty as charged." I admitted, shrugging my shoulders and crossed my legs. "He just...he's so much different then I ever thought he could be."

"How so?"

"Well, I never expected him to be as caring and as gentle as he is when we are together. ….."

"Are we talking about Eric Northman? Him, gentle and caring? Seriously?"

"Ok, I see where you are coming from, but it is true. He can be compassionate and nice when he wants to be. Maybe it is not in the same way as it is with normal people, but for him it is. And his reaction when I woke up was just eye opening." I explained to Sookie, going back to the moment when Eric had kneeled before me and started crying. It was the most tender moment I had ever seen him in. And it still blew my mind. "It kind of proved to me how much he cares."

"I believe he cares too. Even though he is self centered and cocky and mean as hell, he cares deeply for you." Sookie pointed out, rolling her eyes as she listed off Eric's faults before taking on a more serious look. "There was this brief moment before Bill and I left the room, when Eric was just looking at you and for once he didn't have his guard up and it was really sweet. Even for Eric."

"He has his moments." I laughed, sitting back in my seat and twisted my hair around my fingers. " But sometimes when he is asleep, I wonder how long this is going to last. Like it's only temporary until something better comes along."

"Trust me when I say this. There is no one better then you." Sookie told me, certainty filling her voice as she reached out and took my hand. "I know how Eric is and I know it is daunting to imagine how many women he has been with and wonder how he could possibly be interested in you. But I have no doubt that this time, he is serious about only one girl and that is you."

"Thanks. I needed to hear that." I told my cousin with a sigh. "I just worry that one day he is going to lose interest and be gone. And I know that will crush me because..."

"Because why?" Sookie questioned, with the slightest hint of a smile, like she knew what I was going to say.

"Because I have fallen in love with him." I admitted quietly, dropping my eyes down to my lap so I couldn't see her reaction. It still sounded so weird for me to say it out loud. I have never in my life said those words and to hear them coming out of my mouth was just strange. But I couldn't deny it anymore. It had to come out. I looked up at Sookie to see her looking at me expectantly and I swallowed hard. "I love him Sookie. As crazy as that may sound and as stupid as people will say it is, I love him."

"Well, I can't say that I'm glad it is him because I do worry about the situation despite what I just said." Sookie confessed looking guilty as she spoke. "But its obvious he cares and if you feel that way about him, then I am happy for for you. You can't help who you love. And everyone deserves to fall in love and be loved in return. It's what makes life worthwhile."

"I appreciate you saying that." I said to her, leaning over and we both embraced each other tightly and I was thankful that I had her support on this. I don't know how things would have gone if she had said she was disgusted by my feelings for Eric, but luckily I didn't have to worry about it. Sookie was my family and I knew that no matter what personal problems she had with Eric, she would gladly put them aside and have my back any time I needed her. And that was something I would always be grateful for.

* * *

**Later that day**

"Sookie!"

Sookie smiled when she looked up from the book she was reading and saw Sam Merlotte walking across the grass towards the front porch with an excited look on his handsome face. She had called him an hour after she and Allison had gotten home to tell him they had arrived safely at the house and he had insisted on coming over to see them. But Allison had fallen asleep as soon as she entered her room, so it was left to Sookie to assure Sam that all was well with the younger Stackhouse. Before she had gone to Dallas, she had only been able to tell him the general details about what was going on and she wanted him to know what had transpired in the time that Allison had disappeared. She stood up as he came up the steps and the two of them immediately wrapped their arms around each other. Sookie smiled when he hugged her tightly and she squeezed him back just as hard. "It's so good to see you again Sam."

"Yea, you two." Sam replied, pulling back and stuffing his hands in his jean pockets before looking around. "Where's Allison?"

"She fell asleep as soon as we got home and I didn't want to disturb her. She's pretty exhausted after everything that happened." Sookie explained, motioning for Sam to sit down on the bench next to her. "But she's ok now. A little sore and tired, but she's ok."

"Thank god." Sam sighed heavily, leaning back against the side of the house and closed her eyes. "I could tell something really bad had happened when you called me the other day to say you had gotten her back."

"Do you want me to tell you exactly what happened?" Sookie asked, watching his expression tighten as he thought about it and she considered trying to read his thoughts but then decided not to. She had learned over the years that people did not like it when she read their thoughts without their permission.

"No." Sam finally answered, shaking his head furiously as he turned his eyes to meet hers. "I don't think I can handle hearing all the horrific details. Just tell me the basics."

"Well, she was in really bad shape when we got to the church and there was a huge battle with all these other vampires. And Steve Newlin threatened to shoot her if Eric didn't call off the fight. So he did, but Allie was able to use her powers to throw Newlin through a wall and that's when Eric was able to get her out of there. And eventually we all met back at the hotel and Eric healed Allie. So she really is ok now."

"Wow." Sam answered with a disgusted look on his face. "I cannot believe an organization that claims to believe in God, would do such horrible things to an innocent girl. It makes me sick."

"Me too." Sookie agreed, trying not to remember the sight of her cousin covered in bruises and all that blood. It was an image that had haunted her dreams every time she fell asleep and it took every ounce of energy she had to put it out of her mind. "But thankfully we saved her. And now we are back at home. The trouble is over finally."

"I'm so glad." Sam nodded, crossing his arms and sitting back against the wall. "I was going nuts while you were gone. It took every thing within me not to jump on a plane and go fight with you guys."

"You would have joined forces with Vampires? The very creatures you hate?" Sookie asked with an amused smile as Sam looked at her. "You would have stood side by side with them? Even thought you wish they all would fry?"

"For Allison I would have done anything." Sam stated, his face full of seriousness and she knew his words were true. She could see it in his eyes and knew how he would done everything in his power to save Allison's life, even if it meant fighting alongside the things he hated most. It was the most loyal, committed thing she had ever seen in someone's face and it made her smile as a thought hit her.

"You really are in love with her aren't you?" She asked suddenly, taking Sam by surprise at her statement. "I know you are. But I want to hear you say it."

"I have no problem admitting it." Sam said, turning his entire body in her direction. "I do love her. And I think I always have. I just couldn't accept it until these past few months."

"Why?" Sookie wanted to know. She and Allison had known Sam for so long and neither of them had ever suspected that he felt that way. Sookie knew he had liked her, but it was Allison he was admitting his love for. But she never truly thought Sam had ever looked at Allison in that way.

"Because she is so young. I mean, I watched her grow up from this awkward cute little girl into this stunning, beautiful, sexy woman. And just thinking about seeing her any differently then the little kid she used to be made me feel weird. Like I was dirty for having feelings for her." Sam explained, shrugging his broad shoulders. "I struggled with it for months, hoping it would go away on its own but it never did."

"Sam, its crazy for you to think it's wrong. It's not wrong. You're an adult and so is she. It's not bad for you to be attracted to her. So don't make yourself feel bad." Sookie assured him with a pat of her hand to his arm. "In my opinion, you would be the absolute best option for her."

"You really think that?

"I really do."

**

* * *

****Late that night**

"It feels so nice to be able to take a walk at night and not worry about anything waiting to attack me." I said to myself as I strolled down the dimly lit path on the edge of the woods surrounding our property and looked at the area around me. I felt so safe at this moment. Not just because I knew there was no demon/witch hybrid stalking me, although that helped a lot. But it was mostly because I knew Eric himself was somewhere close by. I had called him as soon as I had woken up and asked him to meet me out here in the woods so we could talk and he agreed to. He and I had started out walking together but he had gotten a call on his cell phone and stepped away to answer it while I had continued walking. I had just gotten to a rather large clearing when I paused and stood there in the dark watching the trees while a cool breeze whipped my long hair around my face and thinking about everything that had occurred in just the last few weeks of my life.

I had never thought so much pain and suffering could happen in such a short period of time, but it had. The anguish and torment I had endured at the hands of the Fellowship and Steve Newlin himself was unexplainable and even I had a hard time recalling every detail. Not that I wanted to because I could still remember how bad the pain was and how badly I wished it was all over. I never wanted to feel that way again. It truly saddened me to think how human beings could do this to each other. It was crazy to think that just because someone disagreed with what I did, that they would react so radically and almost end my life just to get their point across. It still brought a chill to my bones and a flash of fear coarsed through me at that moment and I had to pause my body even more to assure myself that I was safe and nothing more was going to happen to me. And even if it did, I knew I would be able to handle it. The worst had happened to me and I lived through it. I could get through anything at this point. My life was anything but ordinary and it had occurred to me that this was how it was supposed to be. I was supposed to live this kind of life. It was my destiny to encounter all this craziness and live to talk about it. Some people are not meant for this, but I was. I wasn't like other people around me and I never had been.

And that's how it led me here to this night, where the sky was pitch black and the stars were no where to be seen. The air was cool and the breeze was refreshing when it blew across my body and rippled my clothes and hair. I sighed and stared at the trees surrounding me, feeling the exhaustion catch up with me from the chaos the last few weeks had brought. I just wanted to fall asleep and not wake up until all this was over and done with. But the truth was that it would never be over. Not entirely. And that was a reality that I had to accept whether I was ready to or not.

"This is one of the times I wish I possessed your ability to read minds." A husky voice spoke from behind me. I didn't even have to turn around to know it was him, I just felt his presence and knew who it was. And it was a relief to know he was still there with me. I felt a coolness spread over the skin of my hand and looked down to see that he had twisted his long, nimble fingers around my own, locking our hands together. I then looked up at him and felt myself relax under his gaze.

"It wouldn't matter if you could. You have no power over me." I reminded him and there was the tiniest hints of a smile on the face of the ever confident Eric Northman.

"That may be true, but it doesn't stop me from wishing it were a possibility." He responded, a far away look in his eyes. He turned his head to look around at the woods surrounding us and he too sighed. "These last few weeks have brought a lot of chaos."

"Yea, they certainly have." I agreed quietly, feeling a heaviness settle over me at the thought of all that had happened. He had to have felt that because I felt his cold hand squeeze mine slightly. I returned my focus to his face and asked, "Will things ever be ok?"

"No. They won't. Things will always be tough." He told me simply, in the no nonsense way that he always talked in. He then looked down at me from his great height and reached his other hand up to brush my hair back over my shoulder so my neck was exposed. He stroked the skin that covered the main vein that ran through my neck and his fingers touched on the scars that were not made by him. His eyes then met mine and he smirked as if it were no big thing. "Look at it this way. It's only life."

"Only life." I repeated, not knowing if I believed those words but it was obvious that Eric did. And maybe one day, I would believe it too. And for now that was enough. At least on that subject it was. As I looked up at Eric, I was reminded of the reason I had asked him to meet me in the first place and that was why I asked. "You care for me, don't you?"

"I thought that was obvious by now." He replied, his fingers, still touching my neck and his pale skin glowing in the moonlight. "Why do you ask that of me?"

"Because I need you respect me enough to give an honest answer." I told him, bringing my hands to his waist and leaning in close enough where I could smell his scent. "All you have to do is answer yes or no and I will never bother you about it again."

"Alright, fine. Go ahead and ask." Eric ordered me, a slight frown on his face as he turned his eyes right down to meet mine. "What do you want to know?"

"When you took me away from the church that night, I was fading in and out of consciousness and I couldn't speak even one word. But I was still able to hear to hear people talking and when you were rescuing me, I heard your voice speak to me. And you said...you said you..." I bite my lip as I looked at him, not knowing how he was going to respond to what I was about to say. But it was an answer that I needed and nothing was going to stop me from knowing. "You said you loved me. And I just wanted to know if it was true and if you meant it."

Eric just stared at me for a minute and didn't say a word. I could still feel the wind blowing across the surface of my skin but I heard nothing. It was like time had slowed down and stole every noise away until Eric chose to speak again. His expression was blank while his blue eyes looked at me and the longer I watched him, the more I was sure that what I had just said was going to ruing everything we had. But then Eric's lips started to curl up into his trademark smirk and he shook his head with a laugh.

"Maybe it is true." He replied, his handsome face taking my breath away like it had done every time since the first time I had met him all those months ago. His hands were now cupping my face and forcing me to look at him and I had no desire to look anywhere else. His thumbs brushed over my lips as he said. "Maybe I do mean it."

"That's all I needed to hear." I couldn't help the soaring I felt in my stomach at that very second as he confirmed what I had only imagined I had heard. It was true. He did love me. I didn't know it was possible, or how it had happened, but he had fallen in love with me just as I had with him. I was loved by the most powerful vampire in the area and it filled me up with the most glorious feeling that I placed my hands on Eric's face and pulled him down so I could kiss his cold lips. I felt that familiar spark ignite in my blood as we kissed and as we stood there in the dark woods, I knew I had never felt more alive then I did now. I pulled back from him and looked into his eyes and with the most certainty I had ever experienced, I said the words that I had only spoken out loud to my cousin a few hours ago. "I love you Eric Northman."

"You are going to be mine. Now and forever."

**A/N: and there you have it...eric and allison finally admit their feelings for each other...its about time...i had such a good time writting this chapter and i promise there are plenty of good things to come...but i have to give you all a warning because this fic only has 6 more chapters before the finale...and trust me when i say you do not want to miss it...thanks for reading and please review!**


	29. Crashing Down

**A/N: I do not own the song lyrics in this chapter...the lyrics to "Crash and Burn" belong to Savage Garden...i do not take credit for this awesome song**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 29 Crashing Down**

_2 weeks later_

"Ok, we are all here. What the hell is the purpose of this meeting?"

Sookie rolled her eyes at the first thing Eric said upon entering the room but she allowed the comment to slide as she had other things that needed her attention. A more pressing matter was at hand and the four of them had to discuss it since they were the only ones who knew about it. It was a problem that had taken a backseat to everything else that had happened and now it had to be addressed with everything being calm for the moment. Sookie hadn't thought much about the truth about Allison's heritage because it didn't matter to her. Allison was still her cousin, her only other family besides Jason and a little piece of paper couldn't change that. It didn't matter that Allison had been adopted, Sookie still looked at her like family and that was never ever going to change. And that was the reason that she had called them all together for this meeting. With all the trouble with the Fellowship behind them, Sookie turned her attention to the secret they had all been keeping from Allison for months now. The last 2 weeks, Sookie had silently been harboring feelings of guilt and shame over this whole thing and now she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't go on pretending like it wasn't a big deal. It was a big deal. And Allison deserved to know. They couldn't hide it from her anymore. So with the attention of Eric, Bill and Pam on her, Sookie cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

"I've been thinking a lot and I came to a conclusion of something that is really serious and I think we need to figure out what to do about it." Sookie told them, looking each of the vampires in the eye to show how serious the situation was before she spoke again. "I think we should tell Allie the truth."

"The truth about what? You are being very vague." Pam said, sounding bored as usual and crossed her arms as she sat next to Eric on the couch in his office while Sookie and Bill were seated across from them.

"You know what I mean." Sookie rolled her eyes for the second time and ran her hand through her hair. "I think it is time that Allie knows the truth about her adoption."

"Uh I don't think so." Eric stated, shaking his head and pressing his lips together. "This is not the right time to reveal this kind of thing."

"Why not?" Sookie demanded, annoyed that he was already shutting down the idea without even hearing her out. "Things are not like they were when we first found out. There is no demon after her and the trouble with the Fellowship is over. So she will have nothing else to worry about. She has had a few weeks of peace and quiet to relax and get back on her feet. So why can't we tell her?"

"Because things have been going good and I don't want it to be ruined." Eric snapped, glaring at her through narrow eyes while Bill stirred next to her.

"This is going to pain me to say but maybe Eric is right." Bill agreed, frowning when Eric started to smirk in triumph and he immediately crossed his arms in a huff. "That was for Allison's benefit, not yours."

"I can't believe you would take his side." Sookie cried out in a glare, turning to face her fiancee with a feeling of disbelief filling her chest. "Why would you do that?"

"It's not a matter of taking sides." Bill protested, ignoring the amused looks of the other two vampires and placed his hand on Sookie's knee. "It's about what is in the best interest of Allison. You don't want to spring this on her at the wrong time do you?"

"Of course not, but I also don't want to keep her in the dark anymore. That's not fair either." Sookie shot back, tucking her loose hair back and sending him a pleading look. "Please just let me tell her."

"No way. We already agreed that I would be the one to tell her." Eric spoke up, taking charge of the conversation by waving his hands. "And I say its not the time."

"Is this really about waiting for the right moment to tell her?" Sookie snapped, pushing Bill's hand off her leg and turning her face to meet Eric's eyes. "Or is it about not wanting to rock the boat so it won't ruin your good time with my cousin?"

"You spend too much time thinking about my actions. Perhaps Bill should be worried." Eric answered smartly, bringing on a laugh from Pam while Sookie fumed silently in her seat and Bill's normally calm face began to darken with fury.

"Perhaps Allison should be the one to worry. You seem to get a lot of pleasure from annoying Sookie." Bill shot back with a quick raise of his eyebrows.

"Now things are getting interesting." Pam piped up, ending her long observation of her nails and looked around the room. "Are you going to fight?"

"They are not going to do anything like that." Sookie retorted, sending a look at both vampires that said they better behave themselves before clenching her fists and saying. "We are going to sit here and talk until we decide what to do."

"There is nothing else to discuss. I will tell her when the time is right and not a moment sooner." Eric declared, standing up to his full height and crossed his arms. "Now if you don't mind, I have a business to attend to."

Sookie watched Eric leave as did Bill and Pam. She hadn't planned on the conversation ending as quickly as it did, but apparently Eric felt like things had been decided and were going his way without even consideration of anything else.

"Well..." Pam said, also standing up and straightening out her mini skirt. "That was a colossal disappointment. No fight, no screaming and it came to an abrupt end. Talk about a let down."

"Oh Pam." Bill shook his head and crossed his arms. "You never cease to amaze me every time you open your mouth."

"How nice of you to say Bill. Especially whenever you open your mouth I practically die of boredom" Pam mumbled, tossing her hair over her shoulder and left the room in the same manner as Eric did, leaving Sookie and Bill to look at each other.

"Do you really think we should let Eric be the one to tell her the truth?" Sookie questioned, doubt filling her voice in a way that she couldn't help. She didn't want Allison to hurt by the secret, but knowing Eric, he would put it off for a long as he could. And that option was no better. How long could they keep this from her?

"I don't know. But perhaps we should trust him for once." Bill suggested, placing his arm around her shoulders. "He might surprise us."

"Yea...right."

* * *

_The next day_

_When you feel all alone  
And the world has turned its back on you  
Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart  
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you  
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold  
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't take anymore_

Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone

"I really love this song." I said to myself, grinning as a breeze blew through the open window in the living room and ruffled my hair as I lounged on the sofa and sorted through some paperwork. I set it aside for the moment and closed my eyes with an extremely long and happy sigh. Today was the first day that everything felt like it was in its proper place and I felt at peace. And that was really saying something after everything that had happened. For once, I didn't feel the old twinge of fear that filled me up every time I thought about the pain I had gone through. And although it would always haunt me at times, I felt ok, powerful even. And I knew I could get through anything else that came my way. There wasn't anything that could make me crash down, I would overcome it and anything else that got in my way.

"You look happy." A husky voice stated from across the room and I opened my eyes to see Sam standing against the door frame with his arms crossed and a smile on his face. I hadn't even heard him come in but I was happy that he did. It was the first time I saw him since coming home. Sookie had explained to him that I needed time to myself and I would reach out to him when I was ready and he had respected my wishes and stayed away. But he had agreed to stop by today after I texted him this morning and that made me happy. So seeing him standing in the doorway made me grin like I was a little girl and I got up to jump across the room to hug him.

"Hey Sam. It's good to see you." I said as soon as we embraced. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him until we were hugging and I squeezed him extra hard to show that. "I'm so glad you came over."

"I'm glad you finally allowed me to visit. I can only stay for a few minutes, I left Terry in charge of the bar while I'm gone and you know how he is." He replied, squeezing me back tightly before letting me go. "You look rested."

"I definitely feel back to normal." I told him, motioning for him to sit down next to me on the sofa before I spoke again. "Sorry it took this long. I just had to be alone for a while before I saw anyone else. It wasn't personal."

"I understand. You don't have to explain anything to me, I get it." Sam assured, settling back against his end of the sofa while I pulled my legs up close to me. "So you're ok?"

"Physically, yes. Emotionally, it will take more time before I am back to normal." I explained, shrugging my shoulders and propped my elbow on the back of the couch. "But I'm ok."

"Good, because it would really bother me if you were in pain still. I care about you too much to see you like that." Sam admitted, his expression softening and he looked at me in a way that he never had before and it made me shift uncomfortably as a realization went off in my head.

"Sam, don't look..." I tried to say but he cut back in.

"I know, I know. I just needed to get that out." He stated, holding up his hands like he was proving that it was all he was going to say.

"Well, since you brought that up, we might as well finally talk about it." I said to him, placing my hands on my knees. "We need to get everything out in the open and deal with it. There is no running from it anymore."

"Well you know how I feel and you don't have to be a genius to guess what I would want ." Sam answered back in complete seriousness as he ran his hand through his hair before sighing heavily. "But that's never going to happen is it?"

"No its not." I whispered, pulling my gaze off of him so I wouldn't see what he looked like as I said these words. I knew they would hurt him, but he needed to hear them. "I'm sorry Sam, but I just want us to be friends. I can't see it going anywhere beyond that."

"It's because you love the vampire isn't it?" Sam asked quietly, but when I looked up there was a frown on his face despite the gentle tone in his voice. I tried to deny it but Sam shook his head and groaned. "Don't even try to act like you don't. I can tell, it's all over your face."

"I know you don't want to hear that, but I can't help it. I do love him and he loves me." I mumbled, feeling worse as I said those words to him. Telling Sam that I just wanted to be friends was hard enough, but admitting my love for someone else was even worse. I felt like I had been socked in the stomach and that was nothing compared to the look on his face. I instantly felt tears start to pool up in the corner of my eyes as I looked at him. "Sam..I'm so sorry..."

"I get it, I really do. And I won't give you a hard time about it. You can't help how you feel or don't feel." Sam assured me, fighting and failing to keep a smile on his face. So he just settled into a blank expression, which made me feel even worse then the fake smiling. I hated myself at that moment. Sam was a great guy, he was smart, handsome, nice and sweet. He was a great boss and an even better friend. There was no one more loyal then Sam Merlotte, I could say that with certainty. Any one would be lucky to have him. But Sam was right, I couldn't help the fact that I didn't feel the same way for him. No matter how much I wished I could, it just wasn't going to happen. And he knew that. He looked at me and this time was able to force out a smile. "I should get going. Terry is probably going crazy at this point."

"Sam wait." I called out as he rose from the couch and started walking towards the front door but he paused when I spoke and turned back to face me. I stuck my hands under my arms and asked. "Are we ok? I mean...are we still friends?"

"Yes, we will always be friends. That will never change." He told me, running a hand through his hair as he backed towards the door. "I'll see you around."

"Bye Sam." I waved at him, watching him leave through the door and I dropped back down on the sofa and stared at my feet. My good mood had vanished up in smoke and left me feeling empty and rotten. Even though Sam had said that we were ok, I still worried that it wasn't going to be the case. Sam may not look it, but he took things very hard and I wasn't sure it this was going to be some thing that he could get passed.

"Allison?" Sam was back and once again I jumped to my feet only to have him motion me to sit back down, which I did. He stood in the middle of the front hallway and looked at me with this unreadable expression in his eyes. "I need to say something to you and you need to listen without interrupting me."

"Ok." I nodded at him to go on as I pressed my lips together in anticipation, wondering what it was that he had left to say.

"I know you said you think its best if we remain friends and I want you to know that I heard you and I will respect what you said. I know that we will only just be friends and I will still cherish that relationship just as I always have. That's never going to alter or change. We will be friends for life, no matter what or who you love." Sam told me, his voice wobbling a bit as he turned on his heels and walked across the floor and grabbed the door handle. He didn't leave right away. He paused and looked out into the yard with a far away look on his face before a serene smile unfolded across his lips and he cocked his head to the side to glance at me once more. "But you should also know something else. Just because you are in love with Eric, that doesn't mean I am giving up on you. I will always be waiting in the background, hoping that you will someday love me the way I love you. That's all I needed to say."

And that was how Sam left me, quiet and completely at a loss for words.

_

* * *

__At Fangtasia that night_

"Oh dear god. You are here again? What the fuck did I do to deserve this?"

"Don't start with me. You know exactly why I am here." Sookie snapped in Eric's face as she stood in front of his desk and glared down at him as he sat in his chair and Bill paced around the room behind her and she took charge of the conversation. She placed her hands on the edges of the desk and said "You have to change your mind."

"Change my mind about what?" He asked coyly, knowing exactly what she wanted him to do but he instead choose to torment her. "I have no idea what you are talking about?"

"Cut the shit Eric, you know what I am talking about." Sookie hissed through her teeth, fighting the urge to reach out and smack him across the face. "I can't take this hiding any more. I want to tell Allison the truth."

"And I want you to forget about that because it is never going to happen." Eric replied, sitting back with his hands intertwined behind his head and an annoying smirk plastered on his face. "So feel free to leave."

"She's not finished Eric. Just hear her out." Bill piped up, standing by Sookie's side and glaring down at the viking vampire.

"I don't see what else there is to discuss. I already said I was going to be the one to tell and I haven't decided when that will be. So that kind of ends it." Eric rolled his eyes and he pushed the chair away from the desk.

"Eric you can't keep refusing to acknowledge this is a problem. Because it is." Sookie protested, clenching her hands into such tight fists that her knuckles turned white. "Especially for me."

"How is that?" Eric questioned with an amused grin.

"I live with her. I see her every day and I have to work so hard not to let anything slip that it is starting to drive me crazy." Sookie snapped, stepping back from the desk so she didn't dive over it and attack him. "Please let me tell her the truth. She needs to know. It is for the best."

"For the best? Are you serious?" Eric stood up from his chair and walked around the desk to the middle of the room with his hands on his hips. "Bill, I thought you were engaged to a smart woman."

"Watch it Eric. You're about to cross a line and I can promise you that it won't be pleasant if you do that." Bill threatened, his features growing dark as his eyes narrowed at the taller and older vampire.

"Actually your human seems to be crossing a line and it is a really stupid move." Eric shot back, twisting his head in her direction. "Are you really that eager to deliver this crushing news to Allison?"

"I'm not eager Eric. I just want her to know the truth and not hide it from her anymore. It's going to hurt worse when she finds out that we all knew for months and never thought to tell her till now." Sookie insisted, growing frustrated with his stubbornness. "The longer we wait, the worse it will be. The more it will hurt her."

"It's going to hurt no matter when we tell her." Eric sneered, leaning against a shelf and glared down at the floor. "And she's been through enough pain in recent weeks. I just want to spare her from more suffering."

"That's sweet Eric and it's nice to hear you say that." Sookie admitted, moved by the tenderness in his words but it didn't quite make her forget her purpose. "But the best thing you can do for her is to be honest."

"I can't do that." Eric kept his gaze to the ground and Sookie just looked at Bill desperately who simply shrugged his shoulders.

"You want to play it that way? Well fine!" Sookie shouted, gaining the full attention of both vampires. "If you don't tell her by this weekend then I will tell her myself."

"Don't you even think about it." Eric's face went dangerously still and he appeared in front of her in flash, grabbing her arms before she could move. "You will keep your mouth shut or else I..."

"Or else what? You'll hurt me?" Sookie asked with not the slightest hint of fear in her voice. "You think Allie will stick around if you did that?"

"Eric, release her this instant." Bill ordered, grabbing Eric's shoulders and immediately began pulling on them.

"Not until you promise to stay quiet." Eric growled, his fingers digging into her skin but even that didn't scare her.

"I'm serious Eric. Tell her the truth." Sookie said with a frown on her face. "You want me to let you do this yourself. Well I am letting you on the condition that you go and do it soon."

"How am I supposed to do this?" Eric snapped, releasing her and stepping backwards with his hands on his head. "How am I supposed to do something as devastating as this and expect her to be ok?"

"She will be ok Eric." Sookie stated, stunned by the turn of emotion from the vampire. "It may take a while but she will be able to deal with it. Trust me on this."

"You don't know that!" Eric shouted, his voice filling with a mixture of fury and worry as he whipped around to face her and Bill. "You don't know that she will be the same once I tell her the truth. You live in a fantasy world where you think everything will turn out fine in the end. But I live in the real world and I will tell you this now. When I tell Allison that you and her are not really cousins and that she was adopted by your aunt and uncle when she was a baby, and that the life she has known for 23 years has been a lie, she will most certainly not be ok."

"You are being so incredibly..." Sookie tried to yell out, but her voice was lost on her as the door to the office opened and they all turned with a start only to see Allison herself standing in the doorway with her hand on the knob and a horrified look on her face as the secret they had struggled so hard to keep hidden away, settled in her features and she fell to the ground crying.

**A/N: i know i know...i am a real bitch for leaving it there but the good news is that it will not be as long between updates. So expect another 2 chapters sometime next week...countdown to the finale: 5 more chapters!**


	30. Secrets come out

**A/N: I do not take credit for the song used in this chapter...the lyrics to "Secret" belong to OneRepublic **

**Chapter 30 Secrets come out**

_Tell me what you want to hear  
Something that were like those years  
Sick of all the insincere  
I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_This time don't need another perfect line_  
_Don't care if critics never jump in line_  
_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

"Allie, please say something." Sookie's voice sounded so far away when it finally broke through my cloudy haze and reached my ears that I had to turn and look around the room to make sure she was actually there and not a figment of my imagination. But she wasn't, she was very real and sitting right next to me on this dark leather couch that told me we were still in Eric's office and everything I had overheard had actually been spoken out loud by Eric himself. I focused my eyes on the three faces looking intently at me and I could barely glance anyone in the eye as I wished more then anything that I hadn't gotten to Fangtasia when I did. If only I had been delayed then I never would have heard this horrible secret. My parents were not my parents. The people who had raised me and loved me were not my family at all. I was adopted and I had never known anything about it. My entire life had been a complete and utter lie, all 23 years of it. I never once suspected that Sookie and I weren't really cousins because we always felt so much more closer then that. And to hear that we weren't related at all just crushed me. I was alone in the world. At least that's how I felt at the moment. There was a coldness in my chest and a strange hollow feeling in my midsection that felt as deep as a canyon. My mind was trying to make sense of all this and it was sinking in that I would have to open my mouth in order to understand this new anguish that was starting to seep into my every nerve.

"Tell me...tell me everything." I managed to get out of my frozen lips as I finally was able to bring my vision back to a more clear state and look at the people surrounding me. Eric's face was drawn and blank like it always was when he was trying to avoid feeling the emotion of the situation. Bill was looking uncomfortable and tense while Sookie had silent tears drying on her cheeks that I hadn't realized she had been crying. It made a heavy rock hit the inside of my stomach and I had to wrap my arms around myself to keep it together. "Start at the beginning and tell me everything. Leave nothing out."

"Allie, this wasn't how you were supposed to find out..."Sookie tried to say, reaching out to touch me but I yanked my arm away and watched her shrink back in surprise. "Please don't do..."

"Just tell me how you found this out!" I snapped, my voice coming out harsher then I intended it to. But I couldn't bring myself to feel bad for it.

"It was me." Eric spoke up just then and I turned my head in his direction and for the first time, focused on his face. He had been leaning against a shelf on the opposite side of the room but when our eyes met, he flashed forward and arranged himself on a chair in front of me. He didn't make any attempt to touch me and I was glad, I didn't want anyone's touch. I just wanted answers. And apparently Eric was going to give them. "I was the one who wanted to know about you and why you seemed so much different then Sookie."

"You could tell I was different?" I asked, looking him straight in the eye and he nodded. "How?"

"By your blood. It smelt so powerful and intoxicating. I had never come across blood like that in all my 1,000 years and I had to know why." Eric told me, leaning forward with his arms on his knees. His face showed no expression, but his voice held a hint of apprehension. "Are you certain you want to hear this?"

"Yes." I answered back stiffly, shaking my head so my hair fell pas my cheeks and brushed against my legs. "I want to know all the details."

"Allie..." Sookie tried again to chime in but I held my hand up.

"Don't even attempt to interrupt." I heard my spoke speak, but it didn't sound like me. "This is something that I need to hear."

"Ok." Sookie nodded and moved off the couch to sit with Bill on a pair of chairs in front of Eric's desk before saying. "Go ahead Eric."

"I knew from the beginning that you were different then Sookie and as I said before, I had to know the reason for that. And it wasn't just because you both had Fae blood in your veins." Eric began slowly, his words coming at me like snowballs. "I knew it had to be more then that. So when Pam was doing research on how to kill the demon, I also had her poke into your background to see what could come up. And that's when she got a hold of the Stackhouse family tree and your birth certificate and eventually your adoption papers."

"My mom and dad adopted me when I was a baby and told no one?" I shook my head in disbelief and grabbed a chunk of my hair. "How is that even possible that no one knew?"

"You may not have realized this but your parents, my aunt and uncle, they didn't always stay close to our other relatives over the years, except for my parents." Sookie explained, clasping her hands together in her lap. "So it was very easy for them to disappear for a year and then come home with a baby in tow. And they just told everyone that your mom had problems getting pregnant and then she finally did. And no one suspected that it was a lie. Not even after they died."

"Who did they adopt me from?" I wanted to know, turning to look at Sookie for answers. "Did you find that out?"

"No, we didn't." Eric replied, reaching out and covering my wrist with his large hand. "There is no information on their identities, only that you were an infant by the time you came into the custody of your parents."

"So who ever my birth parents are, they are the reason why my blood smells so different?"

"Yes, exactly." Eric nodded before going on, his hand still on me. "Because even though you and Sookie are both of Fae descent, your blood runs more purely of it. And if you were both from the same bloodline then you would be the same, but you weren't. So there had to be an explanation for the differences and that's when we found out about your adoption."

"So the whole mind reading thing..." I started to say and Sookie finished the statement for me.

"Just a coincidence. There is no connection for why we have the same gift." Sookie explained with a shrug and a yank at her long blonde hair. "But you are better at it. Ever notice how you seemed better at blocking thoughts out? I'm not like that. And it's because you are more Fae then I am."

"So when did you find all this out?" I questioned, turning back in my seat to look at Eric who had pulled his chair closer to me and was practically on the verge of jumping on top of me.

"Right after the first demon attack." Eric responded slowly, his eyes drawn down to the floor.

"Wait, you knew about this since after the attack?" I sat up in surprise, dropping my feet down and gripping the edges of the leather couch. "But that was months ago."

"Yes." Eric wouldn't look at me when I asked this. In fact, no one would look at me.

"You kept this a secret all this time and never thought that I might want to know?" I got up from my spot and stepped around Eric's chair, unable to be that close to him anymore. "Why would you do such a thing? How could you be that cruel?"

"Allie, it's not Eric's fault." Sookie protested, standing up so fast that she nearly knocked over the chair. She came over to where I was standing and grabbed me by the arms before I could think to move away. "We all agreed to keep this under lock and key until after the demon was destroyed and you were saved from the Fellowship and..."

"Whoa whoa whoa!" I held up my hands to make her go quiet. "Did you just say we?"

"Yea I did." She nodded, realization dawning on her face and she began cringing.

"You knew at the same time Eric knew?" I snapped, my face going blank as I looked around the room at the faces looking anywhere and everywhere but at me. It was obvious that everyone here was in the know and I hadn't been until tonight. "Eric knew, you and Bill knew, Pam found it out and ...did everyone know except for me?"

"We were going to tell you eventually. We just wanted to give you a chance to settle back in after everything that happened and wait for a better time to break it to you..."

"No a better time would have been the day after you found out. Three months ago was when you should have told me. I shouldn't have had to find out like this." I shouted at them, not caring that my voice was starting to wobble and my vision was clouding over in tears again. I shook my head and crossed my arms. "I have to go."

"I'll take you home myself." Eric volunteered, standing up and starting reaching for his keys when I stopped him.

"No, I am leaving on my own and I don't want any of you to follow me." I stated, looking all three of them in the face to show how serious I was. It took all I had to keep my face blank and not to fall back into a mess of tears like I had when I had overheard. " I need time to be alone."

"Allie, please..."

"No Sookie. I mean it." I looked at the girl I had spent my entire life believing was my cousin, only to have it turn out that we weren't family at all. It was too much and I couldn't be in that room any longer then I already had. "Just leave me alone."

"Where will you go?" Eric asked, suddenly looking worried and readying his body to move into action if my answer didn't satisfy him.

"I don't know, but I can't be here or at home." I said and then I forced myself to put one foot in front of the other so I could walk to the door and get the hell out of there. And that was exactly what I did and I didn't look back.

* * *

_The next morning_

"Come on Allie, just come home." Sookie pleaded out loud to the empty living room as she sat on the sofa with her arms crossed the same way she had been since returning from Fangtasia last night.

After Allie had left, Sookie and Bill remained behind to talk to Eric about how to best handle the situation now that the secret was out. And not one of them could figure out a good way for the brunette to deal with this. Eric had been stubborn as usual and wasn't much of a help so Sookie and Bill had driven home discussing the problem and Bill said the best thing to do was just make sure they were always there for her. Other then that, there was nothing else anyone could do. This pain and anguish had to run its course until she was able to get passed it. And that may not even be a reality. This was harsh news to hear and there may never be a time where Allison was going to be truly ok. But that was something Sookie had to accept, although she was going to do everything she could to help her cousin. Allison just had to come home first, she had been gone since last night without a call or a text to let anyone know where she was or if she would return. As much as Sookie wished she had stopped the girl from leaving last night, she knew that Allison needed that alone time. It was essential in the healing process.

"I had a feeling you would be waiting for me." A weary voice spoke up from the doorway and Sookie whipped her head in the direction of the front hallway to see Allison locking the front door and heading towards the staircase. "But if you had any plans on having a good talk then forget it. I am really not up for it."

"Oh don't think you can get away that easily." Sookie called out, jumping up from the sofa for the first time all night, and hurrying across the floor to grab her cousin by the arm. She wasn't about to let her go without saying something to her. "I have something that you need to hear."

"I think I heard enough last night." Allison shot back, turning her tired face away to stare at the floor. "And now I just want to fall in to bed. I didn't sleep at all."

"Where did you go anyway?" Sookie asked, tugging lightly on Allison's arm to pull her back down the steps and when she did, Sookie took her by the shoulders so she wouldn't be able to sneak off.

"No where. I just drove around for a few hours, I didn't want to come right back." Allie shrugged, running her fingers through her long, messy strands before giving up. "Can I go now please?"

"No!" Sookie snapped, tightening her grip on the smaller girl. "You don't get to pretend like this is just about you. Because it's not, it's about me too. It's about our family."

"What family? I have no family." Allison shouted, tears springing to the corner of her green eyes the second those words left her mouth. "I was lied to for my entire life. I thought I belonged to a family and it turns out I don't. So I don't see what there is to talk about."

"Will you listen to yourself?" Sookie shook her roughly, trying to get her to see reason. "You talk like you grew up alone without anyone. But that's not true. You had parents, you had my mom and dad and gran. Jason and I were there with you since childhood. So don't you dare say you didn't have a family because you did."

"But I didn't really belong there. I wasn't a real part of the Stackhouses because I was adopted..." Allison started to rant but Sookie had enough of it and cut in.

"You think you have to be blood related to be relatives? You think that's what makes up a family? Well it's not." Sookie shouted, not caring that she wasn't being compassionate and soft spoken like she had hoped she would be. But it seemed like her normal mannerisms weren't going to get through to Allison. "I get that you're upset and I get that you are hurting. Of course you will be hurting, you just heard about this last night. But you have got to stop this thinking before it goes too far and you let it take over. I will not let you fall into this hole of misery. You are my cousin and I love you. And I will do whatever it takes to make sure you know that."

"Stop saying that we are cousins. I know we aren't and hearing you say that we are just makes it worse because I wish it were true." Allison snapped, pulling on her arm to get away. "Sookie let me go. I don't want to listen to anymore of this."

"You don't get to walk away until I make something perfectly clear." Sookie argued, utilizing all her strength to keep the struggling girl in place. "You really ought to hear this."

"Please just let me go." Allie begged, tears streaming down her face as she tried and failed to pull herself away. It pained Sookie to see this heartache on her face and if what she had to say wasn't so important then Sookie would have allowed Allison to take off upstairs. But that wasn't the case and Sookie was going to force her to listen whether she wanted to or not. Although Allison wasn't going to give up without a fight. "Will you just fucking let me go already?"

"I'm not going to let you go for all the reasons I already told you. And I don't want to hear any more about how we are not really family because we are not technically related, because it's all bullshit." Sookie hissed, her voice sounding a lot more angry and harsh then it ever had before but that didn't stop her from taking Allie's face between her hands and forcing them to meet each others eyes. "Don't you get it?"

"Get what?" Allie's tears ran rapidly down her cheeks and dripped over Sookie's hand.

"Can't you see how your insistence that we are not family is incorrect?" Sookie asked, feeling a lump rise up in her throat as she looked down at the shaking brunette and fought the urge to cry herself. "It doesn't matter that you were adopted and we aren't blood related. Because that doesn't mean shit to me and it shouldn't to you. We grew up together and that proves we are a family. We don't need to be bonded by blood for that to be true."

"But...but..."

"No. Don't even try to counter argue that because it can't be done and I will tell you why." Sookie said, breathing heavily as her vision started getting watery. "No matter what we are and no matter what bloodlines we come from, we are still family and nothing is going to tear us apart."

"Oh Sookie." Allison fell into her arms with a strangled sob and Sookie had to fight to stay upright because she herself felt like she was giving in to the emotion. They both wrapped their arms around each other and stood there in the middle of the front hallway crying for the pain they were both feeling over this uncovered secret. For Sookie, it was a weary pain from having to keep it under wraps for many months. And for Allison, it was fresh and raw and festering. And it fester for the both of them for a very long time. But the longer they stood there crying together, the more it dawned on them both that even though the pain would never truly go away, it would still become more bearable as long as they had each other.

* * *

_11:45 p.m. That night_

"I have never felt more drained then I have right now." I mumbled to my self as I laid curled up on my bed and stared at the wall by my window and thought to the emotional toil that had occurred over the past almost 24 hours.

After Sookie had finally gotten through to me, I had been unable to stop crying for the better part of the morning and had spent a majority of the day on the floor of the living room, just lying there and crying silent tears. I didn't get up to eat or drink or even move. It was like I was robbed of the ability to make any kind of movement and was just frozen to the carpet while the rest of the day went on around me. Sookie never left my side for more then just a few minutes and even then she was only in the next room. I could hear her on the phone with Sam at some point, explaining to him what was going on and why she wouldn't be in for her shift that night. I almost wanted to tell her to not do that but I couldn't work up the will or the energy to do more then just sob. And truthfully, after talking to Sookie, I didn't want to be alone anymore anyway. I already spent all of last night wandering around feeling completely alone in the world and now I just couldn't be by myself. I felt too fragile and light, like I would break apart and float away. So we stayed there on the floor all day, never talking more then just a few words here and there until night fall. And then I just stood up and told Sookie I was going to my room and she simply nodded and let me go. I trudged upstairs and hadn't moved from my bed since. Although, the sight of the figure coming through my window, did make my body crackle with emotion when I saw the tall figure approach me.

"What are you doing here Eric?" I asked him, turning my head upwards to meet his eyes while tucking the blanket tighter around me.

"I was going to let you have your space since you so clearly desired it." Eric said, a hint of sarcasm lying in his tone but it disappeared when he spoke again. "But I couldn't stay away."

"Of course you couldn't." I rolled my eyes and settled my head back on my bed and stared at the wall instead of at him. "You always have to get what you want."

"That may be true but right now it isn't about what I want, it's what you want." He stated, shedding his leather jacket and tossing it over a nearby chair before kneeling down on the floor so our faces were level with each other. He didn't touch me but I could tell that he wanted to. "If you want me to leave then I will do it without putting up a fight."

"The great Eric Northman would give up that easily?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise at what he was saying. He had never sounded that way before and I wasn't really sure what to make of it. And in a time when I needed something to be normal, he wasn't acting like his usual self.

"I only wish to do what pleases you. And even though my ideas of pleasure involve more physical activities..." This was where he started to smirk for the briefest of seconds and he paused and got lost in thought as his face showed exactly what he was thinking. And in some way it made me crack a smile. Eric caught that and he grinned but still said " If you want me to leave then just say it."

"I don't want to be alone. I want you to stay." I told him, looking straight into his blue eyes to convey that I truly did want him to stay. There was something about having someone there who was much stronger then me that made me feel like I could give into my sadness but not completely fall apart. Eric could hold me together all night until he had to leave. And by then I might just be alright. So I reached out and brushed my hand against his shoulder. "Lay with me?"

Eric didn't need to be asked twice. He immediately rose to his feet and walked around the front of the bed to the other side before lowering himself down on the mattress behind me, curling his long body into mine. By instinct, my hand reached back to pull his arm over me and when I had his palm against my chest, he tightened his cold arms and pulled me close to him. Once we were settled and I felt comfortable, I opened my mouth to speak.

"Hey Eric?"

"Yes?"

"You know that just because I asked you to stay here with me, it doesn't mean that everything is ok. You know that right?" I turned my head slightly so I could catch sight of him and I could see him nod. "I'm very angry with you for keeping the truth from me for so long."

"I know. And I am sorry that you have to feel such anger for me." He said quietly, not sounding like himself again. "But how can you ask me to lie here with you if you feel that way?"

"Because my love for you outweighs my anger. And right now, that's more important." I explained, feeling my eyes getting heavy and I knew sleep wouldn't be far off. I laid my head down on the bed and tightened my grip on Eric's arm. "I need you to be here with me."

"I wouldn't even dream of being anywhere else..."

**A/N: So i couldn't stay away for too long without updating...this chapter was hard to write but also was fun because emotions are so raw and real and everyone feels them and its easy...so thanks for sticking with me so far...expect two more chapters sometime monday and tuesday...countdown to the finale: 4 more chapters to go!**


	31. A better time

**Chapter 31 A better time**

"What are you thinking about?" Eric asked me as we laid side by side on my bed in the dark with only a single sheet covering our bodies while his fingers combed through the long strands of hair that flowed down my bare back

"What makes you assume that I am thinking about anything in particular?" I asked back, turning my head on my arms and faced him in the dark where I could make out the outline of his body against the headboard. I felt his fingers brush across my skin and I shivered with pleasure, his touch did that to me every time.

"Well, you're quiet for one thing. You have also failed to tell me how amazing my love making was tonight. And mostly, because I know you." Eric pointed out, a smug tone in his voice stemming from the fact that he did indeed know me, he knew me better and more intimately then anyone ever had. His fingers left my hair and worked their way over to my cheek where he proceeded to caress it. "Come on, tell me."

"It's silly really." I shook my head, amazed that I had even entertained the idea in my head even once, let alone for the past few days. But there was no hiding it from Eric. He would continue to prod until he got his answer, so I might as well confide in him. "But I was thinking about everything that I found out about myself this week and it kind of put this odd idea into my head."

"And what would that be?" He asked, folding his long frame downward until he was lying with his face closer to mine, his cool breath moving my hair off my face a bit.

"I'm not even sure if I would do it or anything, it's just something I was thinking about. But I think at some point, I might want to find out more about my background and heritage." I said, saying the thought out loud for the first time and I realized how much it had been a burden because I felt like a gust of wind had blown through my midsection and I felt airy and light for the first time in days. I moved closer to Eric, reaching out for him in the dark and wrapping my hand around his wrist. "I didn't think I would want to, but after finding out all this stuff, it just made me think about what or who is out there for me to find out about. And I haven't been able to stop thinking about it."

It was true what I had just said, every word of it. After that first night I found out about my adoption and the truth behind my differences from Sookie, I had begun to let certain thoughts leak into my head and this was one of them. I knew now that I had a set of birth parents out there somewhere, possibly still alive and I had been wondering if I should try to find out about them. It took a little getting used to, to say that I had birth parents rather then just the parents I had lost when I was a child. But after I had adjusted to that little piece of change, I started to be hit with all these different notions that I may want to find them, or at least see if there was any more information on them out there. It wasn't an obsessive thought like it was the only thing I could think about. But it was there and it always made its presence known at the weirdest times, like right after Eric had made love to me. I wasn't totally sure if it was something I would want to do, but I knew it was something that I was possibly considering. And that was why I had told Eric.

"Are you serious?" Eric's voice sounded unsure, like he didn't think what I had just told him was a good idea. "You would want to put yourself through the frustration and aggravation of searching for information on your heritage and possibly deal with the pain and agony if you find nothing at all?"

"Look, I didn't say I wanted to definitely do it. I just said it might be something I want to do some day." I told him, feeling a heat flush over my body at his comment and I shrank away from him slightly and turned back on my side with the sheets pulled tightly around me. "But I won't mention it again since you seem so against it."

There was silence between us for the next few minutes and Eric didn't make any attempt to fill the air with his usual comebacks and just let it hover over us like a heavy, uncomfortable blanket. I didn't have anything to say either. It wasn't so much from anger because I wasn't mad, it was more because his words had stung me more then I had expected them too. I didn't know what to make of it and I was actually considering slipping from the bed and pulling my clothes back on. But I never got the chance to even start moving because Eric pulled me back against his chest and set his mouth close to my ear so I could feel his breath on my skin.

"Would it mean something to you to find out more information?" He asked quietly, his voice holding no emotion at all but the fact that he was even asking said more.

"Yea it would." I admitted, staring into the shadows in the corners of my bedroom and I couldn't help but let a long sigh escape my lips. "I know it would be hard and it will bring up all this pain and stuff. But it wasn't something I definitely want to do. It was just a possibility."

"Well..." Eric drew out his words slowly, as if just the act of saying them were something he was forcing himself to do. "If you do decide to do that...then I would help you."

"What?" I reached over to the nightstand by me and turned on the light before I sat up and tucked the sheets under my arms and looked down at the vampire in the bed next to me. "You would do that?"

"If it was that important to you, then I would stand by your side and do whatever you asked of me." He replied, his hands folded behind his head as he turned his intense gaze on me. "If it meant coming along with you while you looked then I would do that. If it means staying behind and waiting for you then I would force myself to do it, even if it would pain me to do so. If it were a matter of doing it myself because its too hard for you then I would do it without question."

"Now it's my turn to ask if you are serious." I was stunned, truly and utterly stunned by what he was saying. He had never spoken to me in this way. Maybe it was because he was feeling guilty because of the way he had spoken to me earlier and this was his way of making up for it. But a look into his eyes told me that it wasn't the case. This really was coming from the deepest part of Eric's soul and it was the most he had ever allowed me to see since our days in Dallas. "You would really help me if I asked?"

"I would hope that you know I would do anything for you." Eric frowned for a second, an obvious indication that he wasn't comfortable with how he was coming across but his tone never changed and what he said next shook me deeper then anything had before. "It's my love for you that would make me want to do anything in my power if it were to please you in any way."

"Damn you for always managing to make me cry with your rare moments of sweetness." I laughed and wiped a tear off my cheek with my fingertips as Eric cracked a smile up at me and tugged on my arm so I fell across his chest and our faces were almost touching. He reached up and moved a strand of hair that had fallen into my eyes and put it behind my ear, a gesture that was so sweet in it's simplicity that I couldn't help but feel my heart swell. I ran my fingers across his cold cheek, feeling my skin tingle as it went while I looked him in the eye and said the words that had never been more true then at this moment. "I love you Eric Northman."

This time Eric didn't frown, he smiled. A truly human smile that looked so out of place in his immortal features that it would have made anyone else nervous. But not me. It was an unguarded smile that until now, I had rarely ever seen. And when he rose up to kiss me, I was momentarily stunned by his tenderness. He brought my head down to his bare chest and I felt his hands begin to comb through my hair again as we settled against each other. I was just going to close my eyes and sleep when I heard Eric speak again, only this time it was in a whisper like he didn't want any one else to hear, but I heard him.

"I love you too."

* * *

_The next morning_

"Allie, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Sookie asked her cousin at the breakfast table as she watched while the other girl simply pushed her food around her plate with her fork while she stared out the window in silence, her green eyes holding a tad bit of melancholy as she sat there. Sookie knew without even using her mind reading that Allie was thinking about the same thing she had been thinking about all week. And that was over the truth about her upbringing. Sookie had been hopeful that Eric coming by last night would cheer the brunette up even more. And while she had been more upbeat the night before, this morning she had fallen into this middle place of not looking happy or sad. She was stuck

"I'm fine. Really, I am. I'm not sad about the whole secret adoption thing if that's what you're worried about." Allison replied, turning her head and putting on a fake smile. "I'm just not quite sure how I feel about it."

"What do you mean?" Sookie questioned, putting her plate aside and leaning on her elbows.

"I don't know, all I know is I don't feel sad about it." She shrugged, pretending everything was ok by continuing to keep that silly grin on her face. "It just feels frazzle, like my emotions are rattling so much they can't decide what I should feel."

"And that's why you don't want to talk about it." Sookie nodded as she finished her cousin's thoughts. "If you don't know how you feel then what is there to talk about, right?"

"Exactly." Allison nodded with more vigor then she had shown all morning. "I just need some more time for this all to sink in and when it does and I need to talk then I will come to you."

"Well until then, I think I will stick around the house for the day just in case." Sookie told her and held up her hand when Allison immediately began shaking her head. "Don't start. I already made up my mind and I am doing it."

"I swear, everyone in this family is stubborn beyond all hell." Allie muttered with a genuine smile before reaching across the table and patting her hand. "Thanks though. Its nice of you to offer to stick around."

"You're my family. I do anything for you." Sookie replied back with a smile of her own as she sat back in her chair and watched Allison's features return to the same blank stare that had been present since they had both woken up.

Sookie hated this. She hated seeing Allison like this. It was like her cousin's pain was her pain as well and there was nothing that could be done about it. And that was frustrating. Sookie knew that Allison needed time to mourn this sudden upheaval in her life and it was forcing the girl to confront old family secrets that had been hidden for the better part of her life. It was not something that was going to get blown over in just a few days. But it didn't stop Sookie from wishing it could. Allison had never been in a rut more then 2 days in her life. When Gran died last year, they both had stayed close to come and each other and cried for 48 hours. Of course they were still sad, but after 2 full days of doing nothing but giving into their sadness, they were ready to jump back into a routine. But that hadn't happened yet with Allie. It had been over a week and a half and she still wandered about with this sometimes lost look in her eyes. It pained Sookie to see her like that and she often cried to Bill about how to help ease the pain and he had been at a loss of what to do. And as Sookie continued to watch her cousin, she knew that something had to be done to reignite the spark in her eyes. And Sookie knew just the person to do it.

Eric.

* * *

_Later that night...at Fangtasia_

"Pam will you stop scaring my customers?" Eric groaned for what felt like the millionth time that night since he had arrived at the bar at sunset which was only 45 minutes ago. Pam had been back in her glory since coming home from Dallas and she had taken to pushing boundaries with the customers until Eric had to step in and remind her of her place and the rules of the establishment he had set forth. Not that he would have forbidden his progeny to have fun in the way she pleased, but he had to remind himself that he had a business to run and if these humans were scared enough, then word might spread and the bar would fail.

"I wasn't scaring them Eric." Pam shot back, crossing her arms with a huff as she looked at him. "I simply said that I would like nothing more then to devour them all within the hour. I wouldn't consider that as scaring them."

"Just watch your mouth for one evening." Eric warned her, showing his fangs to remind her of her place and while she didn't stand down, she did nod to show that she had taken his words to heart. He waved his hand at the doorway and said "Now get out of here."

"What crawled up your ass and died?" Pam hissed, glaring at him as she passed by his desk on her way back to the main floor of the bar. She shut the door behind her just as the phone in his pocket began to buzz and when he saw who it was, he rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Who did I piss off now to warrant a call from you Ms. Stackhouse?" Eric asked upon hearing Sookie's voice on the other end of the phone. "I promise that I have been behaving myself as of late."

"We will talk about your behavior another time Eric." Sookie said in a hurried tone, obviously showing that she was distracted by something. "But right now I need you to be serious with me."

"Why? What's wrong?" Eric felt his face tighten into a frown when he heard her voice fill with worry.

"It's Allie. She's just not herself and I am worried." Sookie explained, talking slowly as if it were for his benefit and not for a way of calming herself. "She says she is fine, but I don't think she is."

"Don't be so dense. She was just told she was adopted 10 days ago. And you humans take things so hard. So you can't expect her to be herself after hearing something like that." Eric said, relief flooding through him when it was made known nothing dangerous was going on. That had been his first thought when Sookie had said he needed to be serious and now that he knew no one's life was in danger, he could rest more easily. "She will be ok. Just let her be."

"I don't want to let her be. She's sad and is in need of some serious cheering up." Sookie snapped and Eric could hear her foot tapping on the floor from her end. "We have to do something. Or more accurately, you have to do something."

"Why me?" Eric sat back in his chair and propped his feet up on his desk to listen to this idea from the crazy Stackhouse woman.

"Because you love her." Sookie's announcement of the true extent of his feelings out loud was enough to bring his feet back to the floor by the time she began speaking again. "And being around you always makes her smile."

"I do have that effect on women." Eric smirked, already knowing that his answer would annoy Sookie and he was right when he heard her very audible groan.

"You really are something Eric and if Allie didn't love you so much then I would seriously never have anything to do with you." Sookie muttered, and he could picture her rolling her eyes at that moment. "But I know how much you care for her and I called you for a reason. I really think something needs to be done to cheer her up."

"I think I could come up with something." Eric told her, a wicked grin unfolding across his face as the idea came to mind and he would need to start making preparations right away. "Thanks for the call Sookie. It has been...not so interesting."

"Wait, what are you going to do..." Sookie tried to ask, but he had already hung up and began reaching for a pad of paper. It wouldn't require much to pull off what he was thinking about, since the building in question wasn't too far off from the bar. But it was more of a list of things he needed to do before he put it into action. And it was guaranteed to put a real smile back on Allison's face.

* * *

_1 hour later_

"Sookie I told you for the hundredth time that I am fine, so you don't need to keep calling." I sighed through the phone to my cousin, who I had finally convinced to leave me alone for a few hours while she went to visit her fiancee. And despite my constant insistence that I was ok to be by myself for a while, it didn't stop her from calling every 45 minutes. "Enjoy your time with Bill and I will see you when you get home."

"Alright. But call me if you need anything." Sookie told me, the protective tone back in her voice that hadn't been there since childhood. "Good night Allie."

"Night Sookie." I said back and hung up the kitchen phone on the wall and sat down on the old wooden stool with a sigh as I rubbed my hands over my face.

Although I had told my cousin I was fine to be by myself, I was beginning to think that wasn't entirely true. I had been ok enough through out the day, not quite my usual self but still I functioned like I was. But as the day got later, my mood started taking a nose dive and I was becoming more quiet and sat alone more often then not. Sookie had stopped asking me if I was ok, but she continued to watch over me and almost hovered at my side which I snapped at her about until she finally gave up. But in the corner of my eye she kept her gaze on me and I just stopped caring. As the sun finally set below the horizon, the phone rang like clock work and Bill had asked Sookie to as usual join him for the evening. She had been hesitant to take him up on that offer and I heard her on the phone saying she didn't think she could. I had marched right across the room and took the phone from her hands and told Bill that she would be right over and then handed it back to her and left the kitchen. I didn't want her to suffer at home just because I was and I said for her to go. She wouldn't be that far away and it would be good for me to have time to myself. But apparently I wasn't going to be granted that peace that I so desperately craved.

_Knock...knock...knock_

"Oh great, another annoyance to deal with." I sighed, jumping down from the stool and walked through the house towards the front door where the noise was coming from. I didn't even look passed the lace curtains to see who it was because knowing my luck, Sookie had sent Sam or Lafayette to keep me company for the evening and I was going to have to send them back out again. I twisted the knob and pulled the door back ready to tell whoever it was to go home but I didn't get to say that because my annoyance turned to excitement when I saw the tall figure standing before me. "Eric, what are you doing here?"

"I didn't realize I had to have an invitation to see you." He replied with a smirk and walked passed me into the front hallway with his hands clasped behind his back while I turned around to face him with a confused look. He looked down at me from his great height and raised his eyebrows. "So...you busy right now?"

"Not at all." I answered back, wondering exactly what this was about. Eric didn't often have enough manners to knock on the front door before entering my house to say or do something crazy. "Why are you asking? You look like you are up to something."

"Maybe I am." He replied, his hands reaching out in the space between us and finding my waist to pull me forward into his arms. "Sookie called me and expressed her concerns about your behavior."

"My behavior?" I frowned, knowing it was exactly something my cousin would do. If she couldn't be there to watch over me then she would call the one person she knew I would never turn away. "What's wrong with my behavior?"

"She's worried that you're not yourself and that you're not happy." Eric pointed out, his fingers dancing across my shoulder to push my hair away from my neck. I could see the desire in his eyes as they narrowed in on the vein in my throat that he had bitten into on more then one occasion. But that expression disappeared and was replaced by something more serene. "She wanted me to come and cheer you up."

"And how are you going to do that?" I asked, raising my eye brows at him while I brought my hands around his back and locked them together. I loved being this close to him, it always put a smile on my face and this time was no different.

"Well, you are going to come away with me right now." He said simply as it were something as easy to do as pull on my shoes. I opened my mouth to speak, but I was silenced when he placed a finger on my lips and spoke first. "I already talked to Sookie about it and I am taking you away for the weekend. So just put on some shoes and locked the door. You don't even need to pack anything."

"Where are we going?" I questioned, releasing myself from his hold so I could slip a pair of flip flops onto my bare feet and flip the lock on the door and pull it shut behind us. I thought about reaching into my back pocket where my cell phone was and calling Sookie to see if this was a joke, but I decided against it. Eric seemed pretty serious, which was rare for him.

"You will see when we get there, now don't ask questions and just let me surprise you." He told me, directing me towards his car parked on the gravel in front of the house. He looked over his shoulder and gave me that wicked grin of his that said he enjoyed his secret idea and what the aftermath would be. And while that excited me, it also made me nervous. But not nervous enough to not go along with it. So I allowed him to push me down into the passenger seat while he got behind the wheel with a flash and turned the car on with more vigor then I had ever seen before. "You'll love where I am taking you. I can guarantee it."

"I hope you're right." I said with a smile and buckled my seat-belt and sat back to enjoy the ride to where this surprise of his was waiting for me.

* * *

_45 minutes later_

"Uh, where the hell are we?" I demanded as Eric finally pulled the car to a stop in front of a magnificent 3 story brick house set back almost half a mile from the main road. I turned to look at Eric but he was already out of the car and opening my door, holding out his hand to me to help me up. I took his palm and got to my feet with my mouth hanging open in shock as I took in the building before me. Eric seemed amused by my expression and just laughed when I struggled to find words to the realization going off inside my head. "Is this...I mean are we at your..."

"Yes, this is my home." Eric answered simply, grabbing my hand and pulled me up the stone driveway towards the mahogany double front doors. "You're the first human to ever see it."

"That doesn't surprise me." I replied quietly, still in awe of the structure in front of me. Whenever I had pictured the place where Eric spend his days, it was always looking like something dark and mysterious, just like him. But this home, it was so normal looking, and not at all what I would expect from a vampire like Eric. But here it was, looking just like any other human home in the word. Granted it was 3 stories high and everything was groomed and in place so immaculately that you knew no human could pull it off. But still more normal then I had imagined. "I can't believe you brought me here."

"Is it that hard to believe?" He asked, pushing open the two front doors and motioning me inside the almost cavernous front hallway.

I stepped through onto the the dark blue tiled floor and looked around me and took in the sights that stole my breath away. The first thing I noticed was the large, winding staircase that led to the upper floor of the house that was carpeted in fabrics of deep red and gold that reminded me of autumn leaves and cool weather and I began to smile. From where I stood, I could see into the rooms around me and I was surprised still by the luxury I was in the midst of. To my immediate left there was an extremely large dining room with a long dark table that ran down the length of the room and surrounded by numerous chairs that obviously hadn't been used all that much considering he was a vampire. Next to that was a smaller room decorated with more mahogany furniture that also looked to be of not much use. To my right was a room that was bigger then the dinning room that Eric clearly used a lot because it had infinite amounts of things lying around on tables and the floor. It was the library and it was filled with floor to ceiling shelves that house numerous volumes of books that I couldn't even begin to start counting. It had a dark blue carpet that matched the curtains on the blacked out windows and in the middle of the room was a rather large fireplace that was currently crackling with flames that looked so inviting that I actually left Eric's side and went right to stand in front of it while he trailed in behind me to watch my reaction.

"I assume you are pleased with where I brought you." He said, sticking his hands in his pockets as he sat on the arm of a black leather couch in front of the fire and looked at me. "And you know how much I like to please you."

"You definitely pulled it off." I grinned over my shoulder at him and turned my head to keep looking around the room at everything. It wasn't so much the fact that everything in this house was so expensive and luxurious that it pleased me. It was more due to the fact that Eric cared enough about me and about us to show me where he lived and rested during the time that we were apart, and that was why I turned on my heels and walked over to him. I moved in close until I was standing right in between his legs and put my hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at me. And when he did, I leaned in and pressed my lips against his briefly, that was all it took to convey how I was feeling at that moment. "Thank you. This was perfect and it definitely has lifted my mood."

"I was certain it would." Eric smirked in triumph of his good deed and pulled me back to him for another kiss, except this one was deeper and much much longer. I could feel my own desire for him starting to grow and spread out through my body, not to mention that as I was pressed against him, I found feel the physical aspects of his excitement beginning to press on the inside of my thigh. I pulled back from him and began reaching for the bottom of my shirt but Eric's hands were already there and soon my clothing was beginning to pile up on the floor at our feet. And then it wouldn't be long before I found myself on my back on the carpet in front of the fire, with Eric long body hovering over me. I saw his smirk get even tighter as our faces moved closer and I knew that this night was going to be a night I cherished above all else because at that moment I felt nothing but love for the vampire on top of me. And that didn't change one bit as he sank his fangs into my neck and he moved inside of me, filling me with more love and peace then I ever thought possible.

**A/N: and there you have it. A sweet side to Eric that I'm sure no one thought was possible after all the nastyness he has shwon through out this fic. But i had to mix it up and give everyone a break from asshole eric. And im sure you all enjoyed it. Keep watch out for another chapter coming your way tomorrow. countdown to the finale: 3 chapters!**


	32. Surprise

**Chapter 32 Surprise**

_The next morning_

"That was the best night sleep I had ever had." I said with a smile as I opened my eyes and stared up at the ceiling of the bed room I had fallen asleep in with Eric the night before and grinned when I rolled over I felt the empty bed next to me. I ran my hand over the sheets and felt the cold seep through my skin and I knew it hadn't been that long since Eric had left me. I knew he was hiding somewhere since it was now day time and even with a light tight house, he needed to be someplace safe and unknown in case anything happened. I wished he was still next to me but I wasn't too disappointed as I knew he still had his own routine to stick to whether I had been there or not. I looked down at my body and saw that he must have put clothes back on me except they weren't mine. I was wearing a pair of black lacy underwear and an over sized black t-shirt that obviously had come from Eric's own closet. I pulled the excess fabric close to my face and breathed in deeply, it smelt just like him and I couldn't help but smile. I went to pull a pillow down next to me to cuddle up to for another few hours of sleep but I heard the crinkle of paper fill my ears and I sat up to have a piece of paper and an envelope fall in to my lap. I picked up the note first, more curious about what Eric had written to me rather then what was in the envelope.

_Allison,_

_I watched you all night after I had finished ravishing your delicate little body and I have to say I find you absolutely fascinating while you are sleeping, especially when I heard my name escape your lips more then just a few times. It was the strangest and most curious thing I had ever wanted to watch, but I enjoyed it. Which is why I did not keep you awake in the hours I had left before dawn. I am sorry I had to leave you, but it even with no sunlight coming into this house, it is still in my nature to go to rest for the day time hours in my own secret place. But I assure you that it was very difficult for me to leave this bed knowing you were still in it with absolutely no clothes on. But I had to and I know it will be a while before we are together again, which is why I included an envelope with this note._

_In it you will find my own personal credit card and I am ordering you take it without fighting me on this and go shopping, since it seems that is what you human women love to do. It will give you an activity to keep you occupied until we can be together again. Do not fret about how much to spend. Buy anything and everything that pleases you, nothing is off limits. I know you will yell at me for showering you with this much luxury but it amuses me to treat you like this. So do not even try to resist it or else you will be dealing with a very angry vampire. Perhaps in a very satisfying way._

_Sleep well my little Fae and I shall see you again when the sun goes down and you are mine once more. Until then, you have all my love_

_~ Eric_

"Damn it Eric, you are being too nice these days." I laughed out loud jokingly as I wiped a tear off my cheek and looked down at the note again. I was hardly able to believe he had written those words himself but it was definitely his handwriting and his tone came clear off the page so I didn't doubt it anymore. I looked at the envelope and felt the card through the paper and felt a momentary rush of uncertainty. I knew Eric was extremely wealthy and having this much money at my disposal was a little uncomfortable for me, but I knew better then to fight it after reading his letter. He wanted to shower me with affection in the only other way he knew how and that was by the way of money. I wasn't about to throw it back in his face. I knew how much it took for him to open himself up to being that vulnerable and if I refused to fulfill his request then I knew for certain that I would never see that side of him again. Eric was nothing if not a very proud vampire and if something like this didn't go his way then he would make sure never to let that side of his personality ever be shown again. And that was why I set the envelope and note on the night stand beside the bed and swung my legs over the side and down to the floor.

After a shower and a cup of coffee I would head out to the stores around Shreveport and have a day all to myself. Just thinking about it, the idea was growing on me and I skipped across the room and into the bathroom to shed my clothes and slip under the warm water while I day dreamed about all the things I would but.

_5 hours later_

"Ok, that was officially the best day I had ever spent." I gushed with a happy sigh as I climbed out of Eric's car and walked through the front doors with a pep in my step that hadn't been there when I left this morning. I flipped the lock behind me and headed into the library off to the side and flopped down on one of the many pieces of leather furniture that filled the room as I thought about the last few hours.

Even though I had been uncertain about wandering around with Eric's credit card in my pocket, I still forced myself to go out of the house and at least look around since there was nothing else to do during the day. And when I stepped through the first door of a clothing store my uncertainties fell away and I gradually started to feel more comfortable with treating myself to a few things that I desperately needed. So I bought the normal things I would need in my wardrobe for the next year; jeans, skirts, tops, sweaters, and of course shoes. And it was fun, it really was. The women at the cash register didn't even question me when I handed over the card that was clearly not mine. Eric must have already thought about that because they simply swiped it and handed the card back to me without even a second look. I stuffed the bags in the trunk of Eric's car, which I still couldn't believe he was letting me drive and then went back into the mall to wander around some more. I eventually came across an electronics store and proceeded to order a brand new flat screen TV for our living room back home along with a new CD player and DVD player. Sookie would be uneasy at first, but she would grow to love it especially when she saw how comfortable I was with it. I left her message at home to forewarn her about the electronics arrival that day and then left the store to seek out some food since I hadn't eaten anything since lunch the day before. I sat in a booth with a small Caesar salad in front of me and sipped on a small lemonade while I debated what to do next. I had passed by a bookstore on the way in and I would look around in there before I returned to Eric's house. I had spent enough of his money and even though I knew he would want me to spend a lot more then what I had spent already, I just wasn't comfortable doing that. It was fun for a few hours, but eventually the thrill was gone and I knew it was time to pack it in. So after I finished eating I went to buy a few novels and magazine and then I left the mall and got back in the car. I almost got lost on my way back to the house, but I eventually did find the road and the long driveway and finally stepped through the door just moments ago and dropped my bags at my feet.

"I can't believe it is only 2 in the afternoon, I should have stayed out longer." I murmured as I sat up on the couch and looked around the quiet room. The silence was loud, if that was the right away to describe it and I was almost tempted to go back out to the car and drive off again. But the feeling passed and I just wanted to wait here in the house until Eric woke up from wherever he was and came to find me. With that idea in my head, I got up to go grab my bags and put them off to the side so they weren't just lying there in the middle of the foyer and I picked up my purse to pull out one of the books I had gotten and settled down in an armchair to begin reading.

I couldn't wait for the next few hours to pass until I saw Eric, cause I knew the moment we laid eyes on each other again, it was going to end very very well

* * *

_Back in Bon Temps_

"Bill please tell me you are home because you better be here for this news I have for you." Sookie yelled out the moment she stepped through the front door of his house and dropped her bag on the floor at her feet. She had just come from an all day shift at the bar where she had heard the most wonderful thing in the world and she immediately had to alert her fiancee to it. She walked towards the staircase, intending to go to the second floor but she didn't have to because Bill appeared behind her within seconds of her speaking. She nearly screamed, still not used to the sudden speed vampires used but her surprise turned to excitement and she grabbed him by the shoulders and yelled. "I have the most wonderful news in the world."

"I could tell by the way your heart is pounding and the loud way you entered the house that something was going on." Bill pointed out, his hands going to her waist as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her shaking lips. "Now tell me what is this great news."

"You haven't heard?" Sookie asked, surprised that he of all vampires hadn't heard the news that had spread like wild fire across the country. "I thought the vampire community passed news around fast."

"We do but you know I tend to fall back from the general inner workings of that exclusive circle." Bill replied, a smile appearing on his handsome face as he lead her over to the nearby living room and sat her down on the couch. "But tell me what has you in such an uproar."

"It passed! The vampire rights amendment passed this afternoon and it was broadcast all over TV ." Sookie screamed, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing him as hard as she possibly could, her heart feeling like it was swelling to three times its size. "You know what this means right? It means that vampires can legally wed. We can finally get married and start our lives together."

"That is good news." Bill's smile grew even brighter until even he no longer appeared as a vampire and just seemed like any other man who had been told news of this magnitude. He placed his hands on either side of her face and just looked at her as if he wanted to remember her expression forever. "I can finally make you my wife and that is the most wonderful thing that will ever happen to me."

"I am so happy that I am shaking." Sookie said, pulling back and looking at her hands as they trembled in the air between them. "This is so surreal. I never thought this would happen."

"Neither did I. It always seemed like one of those things that would always be out of reach for us." Bill murmured, lost in thought for a minute before he refocused his gaze on her and grinned. "But now it is a reality and we should start making plans right now."

"I agree." She nodded without hesitation and grabbed his arm to pull it around her shoulders while she settled back against him. "When would you want to do it?"

"Right now if that was what you wanted." Bill replied quickly with a shrug, not shy in the least of saying what was on his mind. But his expression turned serious and he cupped her chin in his hand and said. "But that's not your dream is it?"

"My dream is to be married to you Bill Compton." She grinned, closing her eyes and breathing in his scent. "But you are right, doing it that quickly is not what I truly want. I want to take time and actually plan it with you. Invite our friends and family to be there to see us vow to love each other forever. That's what I want."

"Then you will have it." Bill said, a serious look in his eyes as he glanced at her. "Anything you want you will get. It is our wedding day after all."

"I think you mean wedding night." Sookie pointed out wickedly, bringing on a smirk from her fiancee, who she could now truly say was about to be her husband someday in the near future. It was the most beautiful she could ever hope to say and now that it was a reality, she knew there was nothing that could ever take away that happiness.

_

* * *

__Late that night_

"You look like you are very relaxed right now." Eric pointed out to the limp feeling girl in his arms as they laid together on the floor of his library with their fingers intertwined and their eyes focused on each others faces. He ran his tongue across his bottom lip, tasting her blood and essence on his mouth and smirked when he felt that same full feeling he felt every time he drank her blood during sex.

"I really am. It was a very nice thing to wake up to after taking a nap this afternoon." Allison smirked almost shyly as she rolled her body over on her side and pushed herself up on one of her delicate little elbows. He had given her his t-shirt to wear again like he had this morning and it was so big on her that the collar of it fell over her tiny shoulder, exposing her neck and he was hit with the desire to bite her again. But he held back, knowing that she needed to regain her strength for what he had planned for them that night. So he simply covered her up again and she sent him a smile that would have warmed his heart if he had one. "This has been a great weekend so far. I hope you're not too upset about the dent I put in your credit card."

"You didn't spend nearly as much as I thought you would." Eric stated as she flipped her hair behind her so it fell down her back in a teasing way. "I think Pam spent 3 times as much the last time she stole my card."

"And you still keep her around. That's nice of you." She said, rubbing her neck with her fingers and winced when she touched the fang mark on her neck that he hadn't yet healed. "You really do care about her despite how much she annoys you."

"I just don't want to deal with the mess and annoyance of getting rid of her." He said jokingly as he thought if his child. She may be a handful and she may cross the line more then just a few times a night, but she was still his family, his lineage. And for that, Eric could never imagine sending Pam away. "Pam will forever be part of my life. The bond between maker and child is one that is most cherished for any vampire of any age. That's just in our nature."

"It's nice to hear you talk like that. It shows you have a heart, whether it beats or not." She said, reaching over to touch his face and surprising him with not only the tenderness in the way she touched him, but the with the very words that had just left her lips. He had never looked at himself in all the years he had been a vampire and thought that he was anything more then just a savage monster who feed on those he looked down upon. But Allison had always seemed to look beyond that like it had meant nothing to her. Like his previous way of life had no basis on how she viewed him now. And that was something he hadn't come across in a human. But then again, she wasn't any human, she was his human. And she expected more of him then he expected of himself. She kept pushing him to be stronger...better then he thought he was capable of being. There were times when he was with her that he forgot the differences between them and almost knew what it was to be human again. It was wonderful and terrifying at the same time, even for a vampire. They weren't supposed to feel this way, they weren't supposed to be capable of loving anything or anyone. But he loved her. Of this he was sure and that was why he said what he said next. Something he never imagined saying to another human because it went against his nature to where it would lead.

"Come with me. I want to show you something." He told her, taking her hand and bringing them both to their feet before he led her out of the room and through the quiet house where only the sounds of their bare feet made any noise on the dark tile.

"Where are we going?" She asked, tightening her grip on his hand as he pulled her along towards the back of the house towards the door that lead down to his basement. He opened the door and flicked on the light so she could see where she was going down the narrow wooden steps. And they had barely gone down a few planks before she froze and came to a stop, shaking her head. "No Eric, you shouldn't have brought me here. It's your secret place."

"I know and I want to share it with you." He told her, looking down at her face as she looked behind him towards the door that led to the very room where he spent his days and a room he had never expected to share with a human. "I know it's not the norm to share the whereabouts of a vampire's resting area with a human but you're not just any human. And I want you to know where I am when I leave you alone."

"Are you sure?" She asked as they started moving again and got to the bottom of the staircase and he began punching in a long series of numbers that he alone had memorized by heart. She slipped her hand back into his and said. "Because I never once expected you to tell me where your resting place was. So don't feel like you have to."

"I am doing this on my own accord." He told her as the door opened and he pushed her inside and locked it behind them. There was very little light in the room and that was how he liked it but he still moved her toward the area where most of the light was so she could see him clearly. Once his face was in the light, he brought his hands to her face and said "I want you to stay here with me tonight, in my resting area."

"Really?" Her voice didn't change but he could already see the beginnings of tears start to pool in the corners of her eyes as she looked at him. "Oh my god you are serious."

"Yes I am. And no worries, I don't sleep in a coffin." He smirked when a tiny smile appeared across her lips and he had to lean in and kiss her before he lost all control for the rest of the night. Down here it was virtually as if they were in another world, a world that was only populated by the two of them. "But if you would like, I could pull one out if you want that experience."

"No thank you, I get claustrophobic in tight enclosed spaces." She shot back, looking around the room with this look in her eyes that he had never seen before. It was the most serene thing he had ever seen and he never wanted it to go away. She glanced back at him and smirked. "So now that we are here in your special place, what do you propose we do?"

"Oh I can think of a few things." He smirked and grabbed her face and hungrily began to kiss her.

_

* * *

__3 hours later_

"Stop doing that, it tickles." I moaned into the pillow as I began waking up and saw that Eric was still in the bed beside me running his fingers through my hair while they occasionally brushed against my bare back and caused a shudder to go through my body. I had fallen asleep after we had made loved down here for the first time and this was how I had been woken up, to him watching me with that ridiculous grin on his face. I sat up against the headboard, tucking a spare sheet around me until it was secure under my arms and then turned to meet his face and of course I had that same swelling feeling go off in my chest when I saw the expression in his eyes. I could feel myself turning red and I knew he would be able to see it even with very limited lighting. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're just so beautiful." He replied with out an ounce of doubt in his voice and it made me look back at him in shock.

"What is up with you these days?" I questioned, tucking my hair behind my ear as I tried to figure what had gotten into lately. "I mean, not that I don't like the nice, sweet tender Eric that has been present, but I have to say that it make me wonder if something is wrong for you to be acting this way. Are you sure you are ok?"

"I am sure. I just felt like you needed me to be something other then how I usually am while you recovered from all this trauma, both physically and emotionally. But no, there is no reason for my divergence from my typical behavior." Eric assured me, his hand finding my knee and squeezing it gently to back up his point. "Besides, I can be nice when I want to be."

"Of course you can, its just weird because it is so not you." I couldn't help but laugh at his mock look of offense at my statement. I leaned over and placed my hand on his cool cheek and turned him my way. "But it doesn't mean I like it any less. There is nothing I like more then seeing this side of you."

"You can't think of anything else you like more then that?" He asked, raising his eyebrows and I felt his fingertips tugging on the edges of the sheet that was around me and before I could even formulate a response, he ripped it off of me and I found myself flat on my back again and Eric climbing on top of me with that wicked little grin of his. "Cause I can think of a few things I like more."

I didn't even protest before he began attacking my body with his mouth and hands. His lips and fingers were everywhere, kissing and touching every bare part of me causing me to shiver and heat up all at the same time. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he pulled me upright again and with a small bit of maneuvering on my part, I felt him swiftly slid into me. I gasped out loud at the pressure but it wasn't painful and after a few seconds I got used to it and a whole new feeling took over. I couldn't see his face but I didn't need to, I knew his face by heart and my hands found their way to his cheeks and I leaned forward to kiss him. I felt like a thousand pores had suddenly just opened up across my skin the second our lips touched and I could feel myself grinning from inside out. His hands dug into my back as we moved against each other and the angle we were currently in, forced me to wrap my legs around his waist and that in turn brought us even tighter together. I felt my head tilt back as a wave of pleasure went through my body and Eric's mouth was now on my neck, indicating that he was about to sink his fangs into my skin. So I was prepared when I heard that click and a second later I felt a piercing pain in my neck and then it was overtaken when he began to gently suck the blood from my veins. My grip on him got tighter as he moved faster inside of me and I knew it wouldn't be too much longer now.

"Oh Eric." I cried out as he thrust into me quite hard and it sent me over the edge and I felt myself beginning to lose strength fast. I had reached my own climax before he did which was rare for us since he was the more experienced one and knew how to get himself off. But for once I came before him and I was barely able to hold on to him as I rode out that wave of utter pleasure. I wrapped my arms around his neck and said "I love you so much."

Eric moved faster against me, in an attempt to reach his own satisfaction and I couldn't help but smile in that dark room. I had never felt more close to anyone then I did at that very moment. Eric had me, all of me. And I had all of him. It was the most powerful feeling in the world to know I had the love of a vampire like Eric. It was terrifying because it was such a big feeling and I didn't always know what I was supposed to do with it, but my feelings for him always found their place in my life. And now was no different. I knew I could always count on him to be by my side whenever I needed him for anything. He may not have been the conventional boyfriend that everyone expected me to be with but no one else's opinion mattered. It was just me and him and that was all I ever needed. He was here with me and no one voice was sweeter this his when he opened his mouth to moan out his pleasure as he hit his climax.

"Oh Sookie..."

**A/N: Oh yes. I totally went there and ruined things big time. As i was writting this i had two options to go with and i obviously ended up choosing the tragic end to the chapter because it totally sets up for the sequel. And yes you read that right. I said SEQUEL. This fic of mine will definitely be continnued. So lets continnue on with this one. Eric is in big trouble after his big slip up and i advise you all not to miss the next chapter which could be out sooner rather then later. countdown to the finale: only 2 more chapters**


	33. Breathe no more

**A/N: I do not take credit for the song lyrics used in this chapter. They are a song called "Breathe no more" and they belong to the band Evanescence. I do not try take any kind of credit. I am just borrowing this amazing song for this one chapter. **

**Now enjoy this heartbreak that I have put forth in front of you.**

**Chapter 33 Breathe no more**

_I've been looking in the mirror for so long.  
That I've come to believe my soul's on the other side.  
All the little pieces falling, shatter.  
Shards of me,  
Too sharp to put back together.  
Too small to matter,  
But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.  
If I try to touch her,  
And I bleed,  
I bleed,  
And I breathe,  
I breathe no more. _

I thought I heard him wrong.

I thought that maybe I had imagined it because it seemed so out of the blue that it didn't seem real. It couldn't be real. There was no way it had any reality connected to it because just last night Eric was confessing his love for me. He loved me. I had heard it with my own two ears. So what he said just now couldn't have been real. It just couldn't

But it was real. I knew it in the second that his entire body went still against mine, that I had indeed heard correctly. I knew it in the way that his touch felt cold to me for the first time ever. I knew it in the sense that it felt like my body was dying slowly and painfully, drawing out the agony so I would suffer for what I knew would be a very long time. I knew it the way I found myself pushing him away from me and him not fighting back even though he was a vampire and always more powerful then I could ever be. I knew it when the sound of blood filled my ears and I could no longer hear anything else going on around me. I knew it when I moved my frozen limbs to roll over the side of the bed and drop down to the floor that it was true. I knew it was real when I crawled around on the cold floor trying to find my clothes to pull back on my naked body because I didn't want him to see me anymore. I knew it when it felt like all the air had been ripped out of my lungs and left me unable to breathe. And mostly, I knew it was true when I felt my heart crumble bit by bit and then proceeded to shatter into a million little pieces that I knew at that moment could never truly be put back together. That's when I knew and that was why I felt like I couldn't breathe in the same room that he was in.

"Say something. Say anything but just say something." Eric's voice came at me like a thousand knives continuing to stab at every part of my body and I could hear him shuffling around the floor as if he too were pulling his clothes back on. His footsteps echoed across the room as he walked towards me and his voice was full of something that I couldn't recognize. "Allison answer me right..."

"No." I said, holding my hand up in the air in the direction I heard him coming from and I knew he saw it because his footsteps ceased making noise. I couldn't even begin to say what was going through my mind because there were no words to describe the horror that was storming my insides. "You do not get to demand an answer. Not now, not ever."

"You have to at least listen to me." He said, his tone getting dark and I heard the slightest swish of wind and the next second I felt him grab my arms so I didn't have any chance of getting away. His fingers dug into my skin as he spoke and his voice ripped through me like a violent gust. "That didn't mean anything. Saying Sookie..."

"Stop it." I screamed, my eyes completely hazed over by water as I looked up at him. "Stop saying her name. I can't hear it without feeling like it would kill me."

"No, you have to know it was a mistake. You need to understand it doesn't mean anything to me. She doesn't mean anything to me." Eric shook me as it were going to prove his point and everything was going to be ok afterwards. But it wasn't. Things were never going to be ok ever again. This was irreparable and nothing he said or did was going to be able to fix it.

"Get off me." I whispered, knowing he could hear even my quietest voice. "Let me go."

"No, I am never going to let you go." He replied just as quietly and I felt his arms lock around me and draw me to his chest. The same embrace in which I had once found safety and love was now a touch that I was desperate to get away from.

"I said let me go." I didn't even bother to struggle because I knew my physical strength was no match for him. "Do not try and keep me here."

"You're not leaving this room until I make you believe that saying your cousin's name was just a mistake and nothing more then that." Eric snapped, his fingers going even further into my arms as I could feel him pull away to look at me. "Do you get it? It was a mistake. It was nothing..."

_Smack. _I didn't even feel the ache in my hand after I struck him across the face and watched him stumble away from me.

"I am leaving now. Do not try and stop me." I warned him, not even able to look in his direction any longer. I willed my feet to start moving and they eventually did, walking passed Eric and towards the wall where I would feel around until I reach the door. I was almost certain he would leave me alone and let me go without stopping me, but I had barely gotten around him before his hand shot out and grabbed me by the wrist. I don't know what possessed me to bring my hand back up to his face but I did and just in the quickest of seconds, a blinding white light appeared at my fingertips and hit him directly in the face, blasting him clear off his feet and I could hear his body hit the wall somewhere across the room. I didn't waste another second before rushing forward with my hands in front of me, the light coming out of me showing the way to the door and somehow the moment I touched the door knob, it creaked and fell off its hinges with a load bang and a crackle of electricity.

I hurried up the stairs, knowing I wouldn't have too long before Eric regained his compose and tried to stop me again. I was able to get to the top of the stairs and out the door before I could hear him yelling from the room below. I skidded across the tile towards the front door, stopping for a second to grab a pair of jeans from the forgotten shopping bags I had left there and took my shoes along with my purse and slipped out the front door and right out into the sunlight, ensuring that Eric would not be able to come out after me and keep me in that house with him any longer. He was an old vampire and it wouldn't take long for him to fry. I don't know why I did what I did next but after I had stepped on to the grass, I actually looked over my shoulder and back into the shadowy interior of the house and could just make out Eric's form standing there watching me. I couldn't see his face and I was glad for that. I didn't ever want to looks into his eyes again. They were already burned into my head and seeing them one more time would forever haunt me. So I simply turned back around and pulled on the jeans I had taken with me, glad that they were the first things my hands had landed on and considering I only had a loose fitting brown t-shirt covering me, some kind of pants would be helpful when I finally was on my way out of this horrible place. I slipped my bare feet into my flip flops and grabbed my bag that had fallen on the ground in my haste. I was just reaching into it to get my cell phone when I heard Eric's voice call out to me from the shadows.

"Don't leave like this." He almost begged, and at any other time, hearing his voice filled with such vulnerability would have brought me so much happiness. But this time it left me feeling cold, even in the morning sunshine I didn't know if I was ever going to feel warm again.

"Don't ever speak to me. You do not get to say anything more about this." I shot back at him and turned away before he could see me cry. I started walking across the lawn towards the long driveway as the wind kicked up and whipped my long hair into my face and rippled my clothes so much that the sleeve of my shirt fell down my shoulder and I didn't have the energy to pull it back up again. My cell phone was still clutched in my hand and it was only when I was halfway down the driveway that I remembered I was going to make a phone call. I should have called Sookie first, to let her know what was going on but I didn't. It would be too much to bear after what had just happened to me and I wanted to put it off if only for another few minutes. So I called the operator and got the number of a cab company and within a few minutes I was able to secure a ride back to Bon Temps.

Once I had done that, I had reached the end of the driveway and just stopped. There was no cars on that road and there was barely any houses nearby. It felt like I was alone in this entire world and the only other living thing was a vampire back in that house and he might as well be dead to me. Cause that's how I felt.

Dead inside.

* * *

_Back in Bon Temps_

"Sam, can you get me another pitcher of beer?" Sookie asked her boss, leaning against the counter to speak to him for what felt like the hundredth time in just 45 minutes. She motioned behind her to a booth and said, "Those red necks back there are drinking themselves to an early death at 9 in the morning."

"I never understood how people could drink alcohol so early in the day." Sam stated as he turned on the tap and started filling a clean pitcher with golden beer. "But I suppose everyone has their moments."

"Maybe but it still baffles me." She shrugged, taking the beer from him and headed back to the table to hand it off to the group of men who were just starting to develop a nice buzz as they thanked her and began chugging from their cups once more. She returned to the bar and jumped back up on a bar stool where she had been sorting through receipts before she had been called to take an order. It was early so not many people were going to be coming through the bar in the next hour or so, so she was stuck doing paperwork while Sam stood behind the counter and emptied the register that he had forgotten to do the night before. "Those guys are going to be so hung over by tonight. I don't know how they do it."

"Oh come on Sookie. Haven't you ever done something odd like that?" Sam teased with that easy going smile of his that she couldn't help but return. Sam's mood was contagious that morning and when she questioned him about it, he simply shrugged and said. "I don't know. I just woke up today and I felt happy. You ever get that feeling? Where you are happy where your life is at the moment and you have a good job and you enjoy your time with your neighbors and friends and it feels like nothing can destroy it? Yea, that how I feel."

"Well good for you." Sookie answered back, feeling happy for her friend and his moment of clarity and happiness. "You of all people deserve to feel that way."

"Thank you Sookie." Sam shot a smile at her before his face lit up and he said "Oh yea, I almost forgot to congratulate you on the good news yesterday. You ran out of here so fast that I didn't get to say it."

"I was too excited to get to Bill that I didn't even pay attention to anything else. Sorry about that." She said sheepishly, remembering how she had shot out the back door moments after the TV over the bar had announced the news of the amendment's passing. "But you have my thanks right now."

"I truly am happy for you and Bill. The two of you deserve to have the chance to be together in marriage without anyone trying to stop you." Sam pointed out with a grin.

"I like this mood you are in. it's really nice..." Sookie began to say but she fell silent when she felt something crackle inside of her head and she knew in a split second that it was her cousin trying to forge a connection. She grinned and tapped her head at Sam to let him know what was going on as she waited to hear what Allison had to say. But the words that arrived in her head were not what she was ever expecting to hear.

_I'm coming home immediately. Something happened between Eric and I and I had to get out of there. I will explain it all when I get home. But you should know that he and I are no longer together. So please just be home when I get there in like 40 minutes._

"Oh my god." Sookie said out loud, clasping her hands over her mouth without thinking and Sam immediately frowned and leaned over the bar to make sure she was alright. He didn't even get a chance to speak before she answered the question that was already brimming in his eyes. "Allie and Eric broke up!"

"What? Why?" He asked, his mouth falling open in utter shock and he dropped the tray he was holding and it clattered to the floor. He didn't even pick it up before he quietly demanded, "What happened?"

"I don't know, but she is on her way home right now." Sookie explained, standing up from the stool she had been sitting on and looked at her boss. "I have to be at the house when she gets back. I need to leave right now. I'm so sorry."

"No no, its ok. Go and be there for her. I can call in one of the other girls to cover for you." Sam assured her and waved for her to go ahead and leave.

"Thank you." Sookie managed to say as she tore off her apron and hurried to the back to grab her bag and car keys to go home. She had no idea what the hell was going on but it was obviously not good. Allison and Eric loved each other and anyone could see it. So if they had broken up, then something very very bad had to have happened.

"Oh god, what else can happen now?"

_

* * *

__In the cab_

_I've been looking in the mirror for so long.  
That I've come to believe my soul's on the other side.  
All the little pieces falling, shatter.  
Shards of me,  
Too sharp to put back together.  
Too small to matter,  
But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.  
If I try to touch her,  
And I bleed,  
I bleed,  
And I breathe,  
I breathe no more. _

"Is it possible to feel this empty and still be alive?" I asked out loud from the back seat of the taxi where I was huddled against the window while my eyes watched the scenery passing by swiftly.

"What's that sweetheart?" The kind old gentleman asked from up front and I was forced to answer him with the most fake smile I could muster and even that wasn't enough. I saw him look at me through the rear view mirror with a concerned look on his wrinkled face. "You look sad."

"Yea, I guess I am." I replied back and then refocused my eyes on the road and silence filled the cab once more as my thoughts began to take over again.

Sad didn't even begin to describe the storm of emotion raging through me right now. But actually, I wasn't even really sure what I was feeling at that moment. Anger, fury, heartbreak and betrayal came to mind but I wasn't sure which one was currently filling me up. Perhaps the emptiness was so big that there was no more room inside of me for any other emotion. That was the only thing I was certain of. The big void was not only in my chest but in my entire body. I don't know what kept me rooted to the earth and stopped me from floating away into the clouds because I literally felt like there was nothing left to me. I had never felt this barren or this cold before. It was dark and scary and I wanted to cry but I couldn't seem to allow myself to give in to it. I was stuck in a rut that was pressing on me at all sides and I was getting frantic because of the feeling of not being able to breathe had come over me once again and it took every ounce of strength I had left in me to force my lungs to expand and contrast just so I didn't fall into a full blown panic attack. But my thoughts continued to betray me and wreck havoc on my already broken soul.

_Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirits well.  
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child.  
Lie to me,  
Convince me that I've been sick forever.  
And all of this,  
Will make sense when I get better.  
But I know the difference,  
Between myself and my reflection.  
I just can't help but to wonder,  
Which of us do you love.**  
**_

Who did Eric really love? Me or Sookie.

I had never had to ask myself that question in the entire time that Eric and I had been together because I had never had a reason to doubt his feelings. But after what had occurred down there in his resting place, I was now questioning everything about our relationship and whether him being with me had been something he had truly wanted. Would we have ended up together anyway because it was our fate to be in each others lives? Or was he only with me because I was the next best thing and I wasn't the Stackhouse girl that he really wanted? I didn't have the answer to either of those questions and I wasn't sure I ever would. It was too hard to imagine what could be said about this situation that I wasn't already thinking about right now. Thoughts that were freezing me to my very core and it made everything boil down to one conclusion.

Eric had never truly loved me in the first place, he only thought he did because he couldn't have the woman that he so clearly was still enamored with. And that thought alone killed me even further.

_So I bleed,  
I bleed,  
And I breathe,  
I breathe no...  
Bleed,  
I bleed,  
And I breathe,  
I breathe,  
I breathe-  
I breathe no more._

_

* * *

__Later that night_

"Oh Allie, I am so utterly sorry." Sookie murmured to her cousin who laid there on the floor, curled up in a tight little ball while Sookie ran her fingers through the girl's hair in a feeble attempt at comfort but nothing seemed to work and Sookie couldn't imagine there being any solution to the suffering her cousin was going through. Especially not after what she had been shown in Allie's mind And Sookie couldn't believe it had all come down to this.

When Sookie had returned to the house a few hours earlier, she had nearly driven herself mad in her desperation to keep busy until Allie came home. She had tried to call her cousin on her cell phone but there was no answer and her mind was closed off so Sookie was forced to be like everyone else and just wait. But the moment that taxi pulled up and her cousin stepped out, it was like she was a completely different person. She moved like a zombie as she paid the driver and walked stiffly up the old porch steps and through the door at pace that was akin to walking through mud. It was only after Allie had dropped down to the floor and started crying that she made any kind of noise and Sookie had done everything possible in her power to calm the girl's sobs but nothing would do it. Sookie sat there with Allie on the floor, feeling her heart break over and over every time another cry escaped the brunette's lips. It was only after the passage of 3 hours did Sookie get any kind of clue into what had happened. Allison didn't have the energy to speak about it out loud, so she took Sookie's hand and opened up their mental bond as wide as they had ever been allowed to do and Sookie was able to see all that had occurred playing in front of her eyes as if she had been there herself. There were very few times where Sookie had wanted to be in her cousin's mind desperately and when she had been allowed in today, it was for the worst possible reason. She saw how Allison took her back to how Eric had taken her away for the weekend to his house in Shreveport and how loving and caring he had been. Sookie watched as Eric showered attention and luxury on Allison and the tender way he had looked at her in the late night hours as they laid in bed together. But then that all vanished and Sookie saw the spiraling down fall of the relationship. She saw how Eric and Allison were being intimate and that in the heat of passion instead of letting Allison's name pass through his mouth, Sookie heard her own name being said out loud and she had the briefest flash of the pain Allie had felt in the moment after it had happened. And there was a whirlwind of images of Allie taking Eric off his feet by means of her powers and her escape from the house. But the most heartbreaking thing Sookie saw was the image of Allie wandering down a dirt road with the most lost look on her face that showed clearly she was a broken woman. After that, Allie cut off her mind and there was nothing but silence in the room. Sookie didn't have anything to say because truthfully, there was nothing to say.

There was nothing anyone could say. The damage had been done.

* * *

_1 hour later_

"So you are home." Eric said out loud as he stood on the front lawn of the Stackhouse property and looked at the windows that were filled with light, indicating that the owners were indeed inside. He had spent the better part of the day torturing himself with what he had done to Allison and he knew that this time things were so severely damaged that it was going to take more then just an apology to make things ok again. He had hurt her. He had hurt her so deeply with just one word that even if she did forgive him, he would forever be haunted by the look on her face, the look that said she looked right through him and saw nothing worthy. Eric sighed heavily, his face showing none of what he was feeling as he said. "Time to make things right."

"What do you think you are doing here?" A furious sounding voice asked harshly and he looked up at the house to see Sookie herself had come out on to the porch and was now standing at the top of the steps with her feet braced and her arms crossed like she intended to fight him off. "Don't you think you have done enough damage for one lifetime?"

"I realize that and I have come to correct it." Eric shot back, already on edge from on the drama going on with just him and Allie and Sookie glaring at him the way she was, was not helping matters. "Is she in there?"

"Yes, but she doesn't want to see you so don't think about even trying to go in there." Sookie stated with a threatening glare and Eric couldn't help but laugh at the situation. This human was actually telling him to back off and looked like she was willing to fight him in order to make that happen. "I'm serious Eric. Get out of here."

"I will let her decide that." Eric smirked, walking across the lawn with a pep in his step, filled with confidence that he could fix things if only Sookie would stand aside. He got to the bottom of the porch steps and stood there with his own arms crossed. "What are you going to do? Fight me off?"

"I rescind your invitation into this house." She stated with a smug smile. "That's all I need to do."

"You forgot one little detail. There are two of you living in this house and if you both have invited me in then even if you rescind your invitation, I can still enter." Eric smirked when Sookie's face dropped in realization. "So make this easier on everyone and just step back and let me fix the problem."

"It's not that easy Eric. You can't just fix everything because you have faith that you can. You really hurt her and I don't think she will ever get over it." Sookie shot back at him, her body tense as they stood next to one another. "I can't believe you would still have feelings for me after all this time."

"I don't have feelings for you." Eric denied, hating the way she looked at him with her eyes full of doubt. "It was all just a mistake."

"Eric, I wasn't born yesterday. I know for a fact that is not true." She said, stepping away from him and dropped her arms to her sides. "You don't ever call out another woman's name in the middle of sex without it meaning something. And no matter what you say, I know you know that I am right. It had to have meant something or else it never would have happened. Mistakes like that just don't happen."

"I don't have time for this. Step aside." Eric ordered, ready to move passed her to the front door but he never got the chance to because it opened on its own and Allison appeared in the doorway with a blank look on her face. Eric actually stopped in his place and looked at her. He could see the damage in her eyes and in the planes of her face. She barely looked alive as she stood there and for once in his life, he couldn't come up with anything to say. "Allison we should..."

"Eric Northman, I rescind my invitation to you." Allison told him, meeting his eyes for the first time and he was taken aback by how empty her features were at that moment. She studied his face, her eyes welling up with tears and then she said. "I don't want to ever see you again. Good bye."

And then she walked away, leaving the door open for Sookie who also walked by him with no expression on her face and kicked the door shut behind her, leaving him out there alone with the realization that he had failed to make the situation better. He hadn't fixed the hurt he had caused and now he had lost something that had felt very precious to him. He could hear her and Sookie talking and it wasn't long before Allison's cries came through the wall and reached his ears. And it tore him up inside because he knew he was the sole reason for her pain. He had broken her soul, and nothing he did was going to fix it.

And that feeling was worse then if had been staked at that moment.

_And I bleed,  
I bleed,  
And I breathe,  
I breathe no more_

_

* * *

_**_A/N: there you have it, my third chapter posted in 24 hours..i hope you liked it and keep up with those wonderful reviews. Im sad to say that this fic is almost at its end but it has been a magnificent ride and i love that you all love it so much..Countdown to the finale: only 1 more chapter to go!_**


	34. Breaking Away

**Chapter 34 Breaking away**

"Allie, please. You need to get out of bed. You've been hiding out in this room for three days." Sookie begged of me, standing in the doorway of my bedroom with her arms crossed and a worried expression on her face like she had for the past 72 hours. She took a step into the room and kneeled beside the bed, trying and failing to get my eyes to focus on her. "Allie I am so worried about you."

"Sookie please. Just leave me alone." I groaned, rolling over on my side away from her and looked at the wall. I just couldn't stand to see the worry in her eyes anymore. It made me feel even more worse then I already did and I wasn't sure how much more I could take. I pulled the pile of blankets over me again and tucked them right up under my chin and closed my eyes. "I need to be alone."

"You've been alone long enough. I can't leave you to wallow like this." Sookie said, and I heard her stand up and sit down on the edge of the bed before her hand touched my arm. "At least get up and get out of this room."

"No." I replied, tucking my head under the edge of the blanket and tried my best to block out any kind of light. "I don't want to get out of bed. I just want to lie here until I die."

"Don't talk like that. You're just sad, this is going to pass. I know it will." Sookie insisted, her hand encircling my arm and her grip tightening around my elbow. "It's going to take time, but you will be ok."

"You sound so sure." I muttered, clenching my hands as I bit down on the corner of the sheet. "You don't know if I will ever be ok again."

"Yes I do know. This is a bad time, I get it..." Sookie began saying but I found myself shooting up into a sitting position and she fell silent when I turned my eyes on her furiously.

"A bad time? A bad time? You think this is just a bad time." I asked, feeling something snap inside of me and inside of feeling this unbearable pain, I felt a blinding fury rushing through me at that very second. "That is the biggest load of shit I have ever heard."

"Allie, I know you're in pain. I get it, I really do. But you can't do this to yourself. It's going to completely destroy you if you let it." Sookie answered back, her hands reaching out to me, but I moved away and I could see it hurt her. "You have to deal with it in some way..."

"Oh please." I cried out, throwing the blankets back and swinging my feet to the floor. I whipped around to look at my cousin who was also standing but she was looking at me with her eyes full of pity and for some reason that just infuriated me. "You're telling me to deal with it like its so easy. But that's not what you would be saying if it were happening to you."

"I know, I know..."

"No. You don't know. You couldn't possibly know what it feels like to feel what I am feeling right now." I shouted at her, feeling every pore in my body starting to crackle as this anger surged through me. "Do you know what it is like to feel like you are dying this slow, painful, agonizing death just because your heart has been shattered beyond repair? Do you know how that feels?"

"Allie..." Sookie tried to say but I couldn't let her speak. Not now.

"No I don't think you do know how that feels. You will never know what it feels like because it will never happen to you." I snapped, feeling my lip shaking as I spoke and it wasn't going to be long before I fell apart. I wanted to keep up this anger as long as I could, because the moment it was gone, I would go back to feeling that large void in my chest. "It will never happen because everyone loves you. And everyone wants you. Even Eric."

"That's not true Allie. It's not true at all." Sookie exclaimed, her eyes growing wide and she marched around the bed and grabbed me tightly. "It's stupid to even think that. It was a mistake. He loves you not me..."

"He called out your name Sookie! He said your name when he was having sex with me. So do not stand there and tell me it means nothing, because it means something. It means everything. He still feels something for you. Or else it never would have happened." I shook my head, my limp hair hanging passed my eyes and blocking my view of everything else. I lifted my head, my breathing getting heavy as I looked at the woman across from me and I couldn't help but I wish I was in her shoes. She was the one who had the love of the vampire I was in love with. And I would give anything for that to be me, to know that I was the only one Eric cared for. But that simply wasn't the case. "Face it Sookie. Eric wants you, but he can't have you. So he just settled for me."

"That is so far from the truth that it is crazy." Sookie stated, her hands going to her hair and she grabbed handfuls of it. "I don't like Eric, but even I can see that he loves you."

"You weren't there and you didn't feel how his body reacted when he said your name. So I know what the truth is." I felt the strength leave my body and I had to sit back down again before I fell to the floor. I hadn't eaten in days and my body wasn't as strong as it should have been. So even the briefest show of emotion wiped me out. I gripped the edges of the bed and looked over my shoulder at my cousin and said. "I'm not mad at you Sookie, cause this isn't your fault. But I can't just ignore the fact that it was your name he said instead of mine. I can't pretend like it didn't mean anything. It does mean something, because if it didn't, then I wouldn't be in so much pain."

"Oh Allie." Sookie couldn't manage to say anything more then that before she too started crying. "I'm sorry."

"I just need to be alone right now." I told her, my voice getting quiet again and I laid back down and curled up into a tight ball. "Please just let me by myself."

"Alright." Sookie nodded, wiping off her wet cheeks with her fingertips and stood up. I watched her as she glanced at me from the corner of her eye before walking across the floor and leaving the room, pausing only long enough to shut the door behind her and I was left in this heavy haze of silence that seemed to get heavier with every passing second. But I didn't care. I didn't care about a lot of things. And the one thing I cared about, the one person I cared about only seemed to be holding on to his feelings for someone else. And just thinking that was enough to make my heart feeling like it was being ripped open all over again.

"When will this pain end?"

* * *

_3 hours later_

"Sookie, I am at your house right now. I'm about to go up and see her so please relax." Sam said into the phone as he stood in the front hallway of the Stackhouse home and looked up the quiet staircase while he kept his cell close to his ear. He had come here on Sookie's request when she had called him at home this morning, begging him to go see Allie in a desperate attempt to cheer her up. He had agreed and left Lafayette in charge for a few hours while he came, knowing Lafayette could handle it better then Terry could. He thought he would run into Sookie on her way in for her day shift, but he missed her and it wasn't till he was actually in the house that he had gotten the call on his phone. He couldn't hear any noise coming from upstairs and he almost wondered if she had gotten up and left the house before he got there. But her car was parked on the side of the house and Sookie had told him that Allison had no desire to leave her room like she had said for the past couple of days. Sookie was worried and Sam could tell, which was why he didn't hesitate to come over when she asked. "It's very quiet. I don't want to bother her if she is sleeping."

"She's not sleeping. She barely sleeps anymore since it happened." Sookie sighed and he could hear the desperation in her voice even just over the phone. Even she couldn't quite believe what Eric had done even though she relieved it through Allie's mind. "Sam, just be there for her. I tried to talk to her and it only seemed to make things worse. I don't know what else to do."

"It's ok Sookie. I'll see if I can do something." He assured the blonde and then said goodbye before stuffing his phone in his back pocket. He looked at the ceiling and still heard no noise but never the less, he climbed the old wooden staircase and went in the direction of Allison's bed room.

He tried to walk quietly down the hall just in case she was sleeping, but when he got to her door, he saw that it was slightly open and he edged it further open with his foot. The windows had the curtains pulled over the panes to keep out the sunlight but he could still see the outline of her body lying on the bed, still as a board but with her eyes open and staring at the ceiling as if trying to look through it. She turned her head when he entered the room and met his eye and he was almost instantly struck with how much damage was done to her. He thought it had been bad when she found out she had been adopted, but that didn't even compare to the state she was in now. Her face was pale and thin and she had the beginnings of bags starting to appear under her eyes. Her long hair hung limp and lifeless instead of with it's usual shine and bounce. And even with a blanket covering her, he could still see the weight she had lost in just those few days. She had always been tiny, but this did not look healthy. He could see why Sookie was growing more and more concerned. He watched her for a while and she watched him until he got up the nerve to say something.

"You look like you were put through the ringer." He mentioned, taking another few steps into the room, wondering if she was going to tell him to leave but she didn't. "How are you doing?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" She asked, her voice sounding weak and quiet as she pushed herself up and sat with her back against a pillow while he walked over and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Allie pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them while they looked at each other. "So Sookie asked you to come check up on me."

"She was worried." He answered with a shrug, feeling a flash of anger go through him at the way she was looking. He hated that she was in pain like this. He hated seeing her so broken down and destroyed. Damn that Eric Northman for doing this. He would have loved to find out where that vamp was at just so he could take out his fury on someone. But he pushed that thought away and focused on Allison. "And I hadn't seen you in a while so I just wanted to visit."

"I'm not really up for visiting." She replied, turning her head to look across the room at the floor below the window while she set her chin on top of her knees. "I don't even have the energy to get out of bed."

"That's ok, we don't have to go anywhere. We can just sit here and stare at our feet for a few hours if that's what you want." Sam said jokingly, hoping it would get her to crack a smile but it didn't and he wondered if she would ever smile again. "Seriously, I just want to be around you so I don't even care if we sit here in complete silence."

"Then I guess it's ok." She nodded, running her hand through her hair and then adjusted the pillow into a flat position. "I'm just going to lay down again. I'm tired."

"Go ahead. I don't mind." He got up off the bed so she could stretch out and pulled up a spare chair by the top of the bed and sat down just as she finished pulling the blankets back over herself. He watched her curl her body slightly and set her head on the pillow before she looked at him. She just looked so sad that he couldn't help but to reach out and touch her hand. "I'm so sorry. This is not fair."

"No it's not." She whispered, her forehead wrinkling as if the thought itself was paining her. "It's not fair at all."

"He's crazy you know. He's crazy for saying what he said because if he felt something for her still then he never should have pushed himself on you." Sam forced himself to say this slowly, but really he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs how fucking pissed off he was. But he held back for Allie's benefit. "Eric is nothing but a fuck up."

"Can we not talk about this please?" She asked quickly, her breathing drawing in sharply as soon as he let the viking's name slip out and he nodded to show that he would drop it right away. The look on her face was no longer blank and had instead started to crumble bit by bit. She blinked rapidly as if tears were just waiting to gather there. "I can't deal with it right now."

"I understand. I won't mention him again." Sam promised, moving his hand down to her hand and squeezing her fingers in his palms gently. "But I really wish you would eat something. You're too skinny."

"I'm not hungry. And I doubt I will ever be hungry again." She muttered, holding on to his hand as her eyes glazed over. He felt her fingertip tracing a line pattern on his knuckle and he couldn't stop the smile that spread over his face. He couldn't help it, her touch did that to him. Even in the worse possible time. She looked at him and said. "I just feel like everything is falling apart. It just all started piling up. The demon, the Fellowship and the abduction, almost dying, finding out about my adoption and now this. It's all too much."

"It will be ok Allison, I promise you." He tried to assure her but she didn't seem to believe his words because already the tears were starting to roll. "Please don't cry. I can't stand to see you like that."

"Then go away." She snapped, pulling her hand away and turning her head and body in the other direction. "Leave me alone."

Sam watched her as her body was racked with silent cries and he felt an immense wave of pity sweep over him in that moment. He wanted to do something to if not make her feel better, then to at least let her know that he was going to stand by her. And that was why he stood up and pushed her frail body over on the bed and laid down next to her before she could even start arguing with him. She glared at him with wide eyes and he just sent her one back, knowing that he had made the right decision.

"Sam, get out of my bed." She demanded, whipping back around to form a protest but he grabbed her up in his arms and drew her down into his embrace despite how she fought against him. "I told you to leave me alone."

"I can't do that. I would gladly lay down my life for you or suffer the worse torture or do anything else you ask of me. But I will not leave you alone right now." He shot back, tightening his grip, knowing that she was far too weak to fight that hard. And eventually she did stop and he took that moment to tug her right close to him and tuck her head under his chin as he kept his arms around her. "I'm staying here with you. I won't go anywhere and I won't say anything if you don't want me to. But I will not leave your side."

"Not even if I start crying again?" She asked, tilting her head back so their eyes met and he saw a weariness there that said she was so distraught that she could pretty much have any reaction under the sun.

"Cry, scream, be silent, fall asleep, whatever you need, I am here." He said, stroking her hair with his hands while trying to keep his thoughts and heartbeat under control. This was not the time to be getting excited.

"Then silence is ok for now." She shrugged and laid her head on his shoulder, her arm circling over his waist as the heavy quiet settled over them.

They could hear the sounds of birds and lawnmowers and people talking in the neighboring yards, but in that room there was no sounds coming from either of them. Sam was surprised she was letting him stay there on the bed with her, but he attributed it to her needing the closeness and comfort of a friend who had never let her down before. And he fit that bill to a t. She may not have seen him the way he saw her, but he was always going to be there for her no matter what happened or didn't happen between them. And right now his only thoughts were on trying to put her back together again. There was nothing more important then that right now. She was broken and shattered and she needed her friends more then anything. And he was going to be whatever she needed him to be. He would do whatever it took to get her to smile once more.

Even if it took forever.

* * *

_Later that day_

"Sookie, we need to talk."

"Allie! You actually left the room." Sookie exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa the second I walked into the living room that night and a look of relief washed over her face that I knew wouldn't be there that long when I told her what I wanted to talk about. "And you showered and changed your clothes. When did that happen?"

"Sam was on my case and ended up pushing me into the shower fully clothed. He threatened to strip me down if I didn't do it myself." I ran my hands through my slightly damp hair and sat down on the couch next to my cousin and drew my legs up to my chest. The shower didn't fix what was wrong with me, but I did feel a little refreshed which was somewhat of an improvement over how I had been feeling all week. "He also forced me to drink some coffee and choke down a muffin, so I did eat."

"I will have to thank him for that." Sookie nodded, a small smile on her face as she twisted her hands around her long ponytail. " So what did you want to talk about?"

"Something serious." I said, tapping my fingers on my chin as I thought best how to bring this up. It was still very new to me considering the idea had just hit me this afternoon when I had been talking to Sam. But once it was there, it kept growing inside of me and something told me that it was a decision that was right for me. "After Sam had been here for like an hour, we began talking about everything that has happened this year and it just brought up all these bad feelings and I started feeling like I was being caged in by it all. And when I felt that, this idea started formulating in my head. And I feel like it's something I have to try in order to stay sane and feel normal again."

"Great, what is it?" Sookie asked excitedly, sitting up and setting her mug of tea on the table in front of the couch and looked back at me. "At this point, I don't care what it is. As long it is something that make you feel better."

"I think...i think I want to take a break from all this." I mumbled quietly, knowing what I was about to say was going to hurt her deeply. But I couldn't just push it away and forget about it. It was something I needed to do and even if it bothered Sookie, I couldn't worry about that. I had to do this for me and she had to know that it was for the best. "I want to leave Bon Temps."

"Ok, we can go somewhere. We can get out of here for a few days or even a few weeks or..." Sookie began to say, her excitement growing but it was diminished when I gave her a look that said that what she was saying wasn't the case. She frowned for a second but then her face filled with sadness as the realization dawned her. "You're not talking about a vacation are you?"

"No, I'm not. And I'm not talking about going with you. This would just be me."

"You want to go away on your own and leave everything behind?" Sookie asked, her mouth dropping open and her hands going down to grip the edge of the couch. "Are you for real? You're running away?"

"I'm not running away. I just need to get out of here." I explained, moving over so we were sitting closer and I took her hand. "Too much bad stuff has happened and I need a break from it all or else I won't recover."

"No no no. You can't just leave. You can't leave me." Sookie's lip began to tremble and she threw her arms around me as if I was going to run off that very second. "I won't let you go."

"Please don't make this harder then it has to be." I asked of her, hugging her back as she cried on my shoulder. I wanted to cry too but I couldn't seem to make myself do it. But Sookie was letting the tears flow freely and I was envious of that. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Then why are you leaving me?" She demanded, pulling back and wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Why do you have to go away to deal with everything?"

"Because I can't move passed this dark period if I am in the same town I have always been. It has too many reminders of all the bad stuff and it will have too many opportunities for Eric and I to cross paths. And that will happen because you know as well as I do that he won't let this go." I told her, looking down at my feet. "At least if I leave, then he won't have as much of chance of trying to see me."

"Where would you go?"

"I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead yet. And I don't know how long I would be gone." I replied tucking my legs under me and crossing my arms. "But it won't be forever. It will just be for a little while."

"Are you going to tell people? I mean, will you explain all this to Sam and Lafayette and Arlene and Terry. And what about Eric? Are you going to tell him about this?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in question. "I mean, I know you're hurting over him, but it doesn't change the fact that he does care about you in his own way. And you should tell him or he will do something horrible if he finds out by someone else."

"He will be mad either way." I mumbled, biting down on my lip as I considered what she had just asked. I hadn't even thought about Eric when I made this decision, but Sookie was right in what she said. If I didn't tell Eric myself that I was leaving, then he would find out from some other source and then all hell would break loose. As much as I didn't want to deal with Eric, I didn't want to deal with more trouble even more. "But I will tell him myself so relax."

"I can't relax knowing that you're going to be gone." She stated, reaching out for my hand and I let her take it. "We haven't seriously been apart since before our parents died. I don't know how to be without you."

"It's not going to be easy and if I weren't in so much pain then I would stay here, but I just can't do that. So please just be on my side." I asked desperately, feeling the beginnings of tears starting to pool in the corner of my eyes. "Please support me on this."

"I'm always going to be on your side Allie, no matter what. You're my cousin and my sister and my best friend." Sookie told me, leaning her head against mine as she too started to cry. "I'll always support you whenever you need me too."

"Thank you."

* * *

_At Bill's house_

"Can you believe that? Can you actually believe that she's just going to leave? How can she do that?" Sookie demanded as she paced in front of the couch her fiancee was sitting on and continued her rant that she had been on for the past hour since she had arrived here. Bill had enough sense tonight to just sit there and let her speak and get out all her frustrations about the situation. "I mean I know she is sad and upset and completely destroyed but that doesn't mean she has to move away."

"She's not moving away. She is just leaving for an indefinite amount of time." Bill pointed out, standing up and started pacing with her. "And she's coming back. She said she would."

"She shouldn't have to be coming back from anywhere, because she shouldn't be leaving." Sookie cried, stopping in place and Bill took that moment to put his hands on her shoulders and she couldn't help but feel herself starting to fall apart. "I don't want her to leave."

"I know you don't but she has to do whatever she needs to do to get herself back to where she used to be. And it will be good for everyone. So you won't have to see her like this." Bill assured, bringing Sookie into his arms and touched his lips to her forehead. "It might be the best thing for her right now."

"But she will be alone. She won't have her family or any friends or anyone. So how can this be good?" Sookie demanded, glaring at Bill for his statement. "Do you know how stupid that sounds?"

"I'm a male vampire, there will be occasions when I say stupid things." He smirked before his pale face settled back into a more serious expression. "But Allison was the one who said she wanted to go on her own, which implies that she knows she won't have any familiar faces around her."

"Don't be a smart-ass Bill Compton." She snapped, waving her finger in his face while he looked back at her. "This is not a joking matter."

"I am just trying to get you to think clearly about this." Bill told her, his hands moving down to her waist and he pulled her to him again. "She's not happy here and I can't say I blame her. She has been hit with a lot of low blows this year and it may not be such a horrible thing for her to take a break from it."

"So you support this crazy idea?" Sookie frowned and stepped away from him so she could back step to the couch. "I can't believe you would say that."

"I'm not saying I want her to go because I know how much she means to you. But I do understand why she wants to leave and as her future relative, I will stand by her and support anything she does. And so should you." Bill replied, tucking his hands under his arms. "She's in pain Sookie. And if you love her, then let her go. She will come back one day. You just have to trust that she is doing the right thing."

"I'm just going to miss her so much." Sookie muttered before dissolving into tears again and Bill rush forward to hold her. "I don't want to lose her."

"She won't be lost. She will return."

* * *

_Out in Shreveport_

"Pam, for the last time I told you I will not be at the bar tonight so just handle it yourself." Eric snapped and slammed down the phone and continued to stare into the fireplace like he had done since the moment he rose at sunset. His behavior hadn't been any different for days now since that morning that he had ruined everything. He hadn't bothered going to the Stackhouse home at all since there was no way either of them were going to extend an invitation to him to enter the house. So he had either been at the bar or here in his home. But today he just wasn't in the mood to deal with the chaos of running the bar. He felt like being alone and the idea of thousands of eyes on his truly disgusted him for the first time in his vampire life. Normally he loved the attention he got from the humans who came in, but there was only one human whose attention he wanted but she would no longer look at him.

And he had no one to blame but himself.

He knew he screwed up. He didn't like to ever admit that he was wrong but he was wrong this time. He hadn't meant to say Sookie's name during his time with Allison, but it just slipped out. Now the damage was done and he no longer spent his nights with her so he had plenty of time to reflect on what could have possessed him to say the wrong woman's name. He had never made that mistake before and even if he had he wouldn't have cared what the consequences were. But these circumstances were so much bigger then anything he ever had to deal with. Allison had been crushed by that one word and now he was going to lose her if he didn't somehow make it right. So here he sat watching the flames and trying to figure out what it all meant. He thought about what Sookie herself had said to him. That he must have still felt something for her if he let her name slip out. Or else why would he have have said it? Sookie must have been on his mind during that moment and it had come out right as he and Allison were being their most vulnerable. It would have been one thing if he had said it when he was alone. But Allison had been right there up against him and it had ruined everything between them. And now he had to figure out where to go from here.

_Ring...ring...ring_

"If that is Pam then I will stake her right on the doorstep." He grumbled, not in the mood to deal with his progeny, but he got up to answer it anyway. He obviously wouldn't be as dramatic as to stake her since he had no desire to kill his child. But he was just not in the right frame of mind to be dealing with any one. So as he reached for the door handle, he prepared himself to start snapping at who ever it was who was disturbing his time alone. "Pam, I told you not to..."

"Do I look like Pam?" A small voice replied and he was actually startled when he met the weary green eyes of the younger Stackhouse standing on the doorstep in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, trying to hide the fact that he was actually surprised to see her there at his house. He was so sure that she would not only never see him again but that she would never step foot into this house. But she did. She walked right passed him into the front hallway as he shut the door and turned to face her. She stood there with her arms crossed and her lips pressed together tightly and he knew something was up. "I'm surprised you came here but I'm..."

"Eric, we need to talk."

**A/N: And there you have it, the last chapter before the finale. Thank you all for being so loyal and addicted to this fic. It has truely been a great and fullfilling ride and i am so glad to see that so many of you loved reading it as much as i loved writting it. Now this would be the time for the official announcement. There will indeed be a sequel coming up because let's face it. I can't stop writting about this dramatic vampire world. Its just too much fun. So keep a look out for the sequel coming soon. And definitely do not miss the finale. This whole fic has been leading up to this one chapter.**


	35. Goodbye to you

**A/N: I do not take credit for these lyrics. They are borrowed from the song "Goodbye to you" and they belong to Michelle Branch**

**Now I give you the the final chapter of "The Blackest Night"...the end is here and I want to thank you for reading this fic. It was the best time I ever had writing. And i can't believe the response i got for it. I hope you will read the sequel when i post it. Look for it in the very near future...**

**Now go and enjoy the finale**

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* * *

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**Chapter 35 Goodbye to you**

_And it hurts to want everything _

_and nothing at the same time  
I want what's yours _

_and I want what's mine  
I want you  
But I'm not giving in this time_

"What are you doing here?" Eric asked me as we stood in the front hallway of his house and stared at each other for what seemed like forever, while I tried to work up the courage to tell him why I had indeed showed up here in Shreveport in the middle of this night. I thought that I would just walk in and blurt out that I was leaving and that would be it and I could be out of here within a few minutes. But it wasn't quite working out like that. The minute I walked into the house and brushed passed him, our hands had touched and now I was finding it very very hard to form a sentence. And I hated myself for that. I had spent the last few days hiding in my room from the rest of the world because of him. He had hurt me and broke my heart in a way that I didn't think could ever truly be fixed. Heck I was basically running away because of him and yet, standing in front of him right now I was hit with the sense that it would just be easier to stay where I was. Because even though I hated him for what he had done, it didn't automatically erase the love I had for him. I wish it did, but it didn't and I would have to fight against my desires to stick to what I had decided. Because he messed up not just this time, but many times before and I always went back to him. But not now. This time I do not give in.

"Like I said, we need to talk. And it's serious." I looked up and met his gaze, feeling that old familiar feeling rush through me and I had to cut it off at the pass. I did not need to be remembering all the good feelings I had felt when I was with him. If I remembered then I would never leave and I had to. So I took a deep breath and clasped my hands together. "Maybe we should sit down."

"I don't want to sit down. Sitting down implies that I am going to hear something I do not want to hear so I think I will avoid it." Eric replied, sticking his hands into his pockets as he strolled forward to me. "But what I won't avoid is the fact we still have yet to discuss what happened between us."

"We will get to that, but on my terms, not yours." I said, backing away from him as much as could without it looking like I was running from him. "And you're going to hear what I want to tell you whether you want to or not. You at least owe me that."

"Fine, go ahead and tell me. But I won't guarantee I will react well to this news you have." He huffed, leaning back against the doorway to the library and looked at me. "Speak if that's what you want."

"You hurt me so badly that morning that I can't ever imagine feeling ok again. The pain is that bad and it makes me question whether anything that happened between us was real or if it was just a matter of convenience because I wasn't the Stackhouse that you wanted." I pointed out, running my fingers through my hair as I nervously looked at the floor, the ceiling, anywhere but at him. "It's tough to be around a place that reminds me so loudly of what I thought I had. And I can't take it. Which is what I came to tell you because I wanted you to hear it from me."

"And that is...what exactly?" He wanted to know, his eyes narrowing into slits like he was anticipating something really bad but he didn't have any idea what I was about to throw at him.

"I decided that I'm going to leave Bon Temps for a while." I closed my eyes as I said this because I did not want to see the look on his face when I said this. "I need space and time away for all the bad stuff that has happened. I need the opportunity to heal and get back to being on steady ground. Too much has happened this year and I think getting away will just help. It won't be forever, I have no intention of being gone and leaving my friends and family here. But it's not just for a few days or even a few weeks. It's going to be a big chunk of time that I will be gone. And I just thought it would be better if you heard it from me."

"No." Eric answered simply and shook his head with a laugh. "You're not going anywhere. That's just absurd."

"Well you can't keep me here. I will just throw you across the room and break down more of your doors if I have to, just like I did last time." I reminded him, keeping my emotions at bay as I watched his emotions flash across his face. "Just accept it Eric. You can't keep me here."

"I can try." Eric threatened, rushing forward and grabbing me by the arms and pushed me against the opposite wall and glared down at me. "I will lock you up or tie you up or do whatever it takes to keep you here."

"And you really think that's going to make me forgive you?" I asked, looking up into his blue eyes and I could see the slightest hint that his fangs were about to pop out any second. "You can try and get me to stay here but you saw my strength and I will just escape as soon as day is here. So don't even bother."

"You can't leave, it won't fix anything." He snapped, his fingers digging into my upper arms and I tried my hardest not to wince. It wasn't that hard, the physical pain was nothing compared to the hollowness in my chest.

"Maybe not, but it will at least give me the time I need to be able to deal with this. Because I certainly can't deal with it now." I told him, feeling that old prick in my eye and I had to turn my head to the side in case a tear made it's escape. "Just let me go."

"I can't do that. I can't just let you go like it means nothing. Because that would be a lie." Eric pointed out, grabbing my chin in his hand and forced me to look at him. "I can make things right if you let me."

"You can't do that Eric. Nothing you say is going to change what has already been done. I know you think you have the power to make everything alright but you don't. And no matter what you say, I do not want to hear it. Because it won't erase what you said." I retorted, my lip as I breathed heavily and it took everything in me to not just fall into his arms and cry. As much as it had hurt me the last time I was in his arms, it was still a beacon of safety for me and it would have been so easy to just forget about all this and let him make it up to me. But I just couldn't do that. He had hurt me too bad and just by a simple word. "How could you say her name? How could you string me along like that?"

"I didn't string you along. I do love you." He admitted, his touch full of tension but he sounded certain enough and any other time it would have meant something to me. But not now. "You have to believe that."

"Do you still love her too?" I asked, needing to know the answer to that question so desperately that tears were already falling down my face. "Do you still love Sookie?"

"Why does that even matter? I'm not going to be with her so that shouldn't change anything with us. It's not like I would leave to be with her." Eric scoffed but even through his serious facade, I could still detect a hint of desire at the mention of my cousin and that look made my decision perfectly clear to me. Eric still shook me, trying to convince me of what he was saying. "She's with Bill, so it's not like there I can just be with her."

"See that sentence is the problem." I said, pushing his hands off me and stepping around his body. "Just because she is with Bill, it doesn't mean you don't still want her. What if she wasn't engaged to him? What if she were single? Would that have made a difference in our relationship?"

"I don't even know how to answer that." Eric frowned, running his hand through his pale blonde hair as he spoke. "I just don't know."

"And that is what kills me. The fact that you don't know how you feel for her. So what does that mean for us?" I questioned with a shrug, touching my hands to my hips as I stared at him. "If you don't know how you feel, then I don't know how to trust your feelings for me."

"I told you I wasn't going to be with her..." Eric began to say but I cut him off.

"I know that's what you said, but it doesn't change a thing. Because you still wouldn't be sure who you want. Maybe you do love me, but you may also love her too. But because she is with someone else, you just settled for me. And I can't accept that." I responded with a heavy sigh as I tucked my hands under my arms and walked toward him. "I can't live my life knowing that I am second best, that you are only with me because you couldn't have the girl you really want."

"I never said..."

"I love you Eric." I walked up to him and before I could talk myself out of it, I took his hands in mine and stared him straight in the eye. He seemed surprised by my action and I was too, but I went on, knowing this needed to be said. "I love you and only you. But you don't know who you love more. Do you?"

"I can't answer that because I honestly don't know." He shook his head and removed his hands from mine and pressed them against the sides of my face. "You have no idea how much I wish I could tell you that there wasn't something there. I want to so badly but I can't."

"And that's why I have to leave." I stated, a tear running down my cheek that he wiped away with his thumb. I touched my hands to his wrists, wanting to hold on to him as I said what I needed to say. "It's the only way for you to figure out what Sookie really means to you. Because if I stay, you won't have a clear head to decide and I need you to find out. And this time apart will be good for us. We need it."

"How can it be a good thing if we are apart?" He asked, finally the mask he had kept up was beginning to come down. "I may not know how I feel about her, but I know not being around you will be torture for me."

"It will be the same for me too, but not as much if I were to stay. That would just be too painful. And it's why I need you to let me go." I urged this point to him by meeting his eye and it pained me more to see the anguish in his features. I reached up and touched his face and he leaned in to my touch like he was trying to remember it. "This will be a good thing Eric, I know it will be. It will give us both a chance to figure out some stuff and we will be better for it. And if we are meant to be, then we will find a way back to each other. But you need to let me go."

Eric didn't respond for a while, he just watched me. I saw his eyes ravel from spot to spot on my face, like he was trying to read my mind and figure out if this was something I had truly thought through. And I looked right on back at him, wishing more then anything that I could read his mind and know what he was thinking. I also wanted to memorize his face because it would be a long time before I saw it again and even though it caused me great pain, it still didn't take away the love I had developed for him. We stared at each other for what seemed like forever until I saw the surrender in his eyes and he sighed.

"Alright. You win. I'll let you go." He finally agreed, a dark redness appearing in the corner of his eyes and the sight of it made a heavy feeling drop into my stomach. I went to wipe the blood away but Eric pushed my hands down and moved away from me, while he dabbed at his face with the bottom of his black shirt. When he was done, he turned back to face me and shocked me when he said. "I want to kiss you one last time."

"I don't know it that is a good idea." I replied, feeling flustered at his request but also not totally against it. Eric's kisses were so intoxicating that even with as much as he hurt me, I still thought about being with him in every way. "I really think we should just leave it like this."

"And that's where we disagree." Eric said with his trademark smirk before he rushed forward and shoved me back into the wall before his lips landed on mine. But it was not the rough, sexual kiss that I was expecting. It was a more tender, gentle kiss that was full of the passion I had felt at the height of our relationship. His hands curled around my face and his body pressed against mine until I could feel everything there was to him, everything I wish I could have but knew I couldn't. He had been the only person I ever wanted to be close to in the most intimate way possible. He had been the first to ever see me naked, not just physically but mentally as well. He had been there when I was at my most vulnerable. He was there in the beginning when it all started and he was here at the end when things were changing. It was a bittersweet moment and when his lips were on mine, it broke my heart all over again because I knew this was the real end to us. Eric could feel it too because he deepened the kiss and then released me and stepped back even thought it looked like it pained him to do it. "Ok, I think I can let you go now."

"Goodbye Eric." I whispered, struggling and failing to keep my tears at bay and just walked towards the front door, wiping my face with the back of my hand as I went. I reached into my pocket to pull out my keys and my cell phone, knowing I would want to call Sookie the moment I got back into the car.

"Allison." Eric's voice spoke again, forcing me to turn around to see what it was that he wanted and when I looked at him, he had his arms crossed and a look on his face that could best be described as territorial. "One more thing."

"What's that?" I wondered, also crossing my arms.

"Even though I am agreeing to let you go, I still want to make something clear." He told me, standing up to his full height to get his point across. "No matter where you go and no matter who you meet, remember that you are still mine."

I stared at him for a second, taking in his face and the way he looked and I knew he meant every word he had just said. Even though he didn't know what he felt for Sookie, he was still laying claim to me. He would still think of me as belonging to him, meaning he did care about me in his own way. It almost brought a smile to my face but not quite. I just nodded and walked out the door, never stopping or even looking over my shoulder again at him and just kept on walking to my car.

That was the last I would ever see of Eric Northman for a while.

_Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything _

_I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

* * *

_20 minutes later_

"I can't believe I actually let her go. What the hell is wrong with me?" Eric asked himself as he sat back on the leather couch and stared into the fire again, watching the flames dance and lick the stone hearth as he contemplated what he had just done.

He didn't ever anticipate having to make the decision to let her go. He just never thought it would come to that. Or if it did, he always imagined himself refusing to go along with it and tying her up somewhere. But he had gone along with it for one simple reason. Because she asked him to, and after hurting her the way he had, he couldn't refuse to do what she asked. Even though he was a feared vampire, it was always Allison that he was scared of disappointing. So he agreed to her request and he gave her up. And he didn't count on the feeling of loss that came the moment she stepped out the door and out of his life. It was so strong that he almost considered saying fuck it, and going out after her. But he didn't. Cause deep down he knew that what she had said to him was right, that they needed this time apart. And even though it would suck now, it would help him get the answers he needed to win her back. And he would win her back. Of that he was sure.

"You did the right thing by letting her go." A calm voice said to his left and he turned his head to the side to see the image of his fallen maker gliding towards the couch, instantly bringing a wave of calmness over the room and Eric couldn't help but smile when Godric took a seat beside him. He was thrilled to see his maker again. If there were ever a time he needed his mentor to be here then this was it. Godric smiled and said. "It was very unselfish of you to do that and I am proud."

"Thank you, but I am not entirely happy with my decision. So I don't deserve all of your praise." Eric muttered, leaning forward with his arms on his knees. "I was going to go after her and ask her to stay with me. But I didn't."

"It's best that you kept to your original plan or else things could have been made worse." Godric spoke calmly as he set his hands on the tops of his legs and also looked into the fire. "You love her enough to do what she asked of you."

"Love just messes up everything and gets me nowhere." Eric spat out, clenching his jaw and sitting upright and back against the couch with a sigh. "It would have just been easier if I hadn't loved her at all."

"Do you really believe that you would have been better off without her?" Godric questioned, his image transparent, but still looking as real as it could possibly look. "Because I do not believe that is so. She is a good person and she brought out the best in you. More then I ever could."

"Then why did I have to screw everything up?" Eric demanded, turning to look at the younger looking vampire with fury in his eyes. "Why did I have to break that poor girl's heart when she did nothing to deserve it?"

"You're allowed to be confused about your feelings my child. It's only natural to not understand the way of emotions when we spend so much time turning it off." Godric explained, looking at the flames with a faraway look in his brown eyes. "We were always taught that vampires were incapable of loving not just anything but especially not humans. But over the years that has changed and the theory that immortals can't love is wrong. We can love, we just have to allow ourselves that option."

"Now I really could have used this guidance before I royally fucked up." Eric snapped, looking at the dead vampire who had created him and wished more then anything that Godric was here all the time. "Why do you always have to show up after something bad happens?"

"I can't always be around when you need me to be. You have to have faith in yourself that you can guide your own life without me. I'm not here anymore, you can't always depend on me to tell you what is right and what is wrong." Godric pointed out, with a sad look on his young pale face. "You need to learn that for yourself. I should have done a better job at teaching you that, but I didn't and now you have to figure it out on your own. I apologize for that."

"Then tell me what to do? How do I fix this?" Eric shouted at the ghostly image of his maker. "Because I don't know where to go from here."

"There is no quick solution to your sadness and agony. It just has to run it's course and you have to be willing to do the work yourself. I can't do it for you." Godric shrugged, his hands clasped together while he turned his attention to Eric. "You just have to figure it out and the rest will follow."

"And until then I just stay away and not contact her? That's really what I should do?" Eric asked, not liking that idea too much but he knew he had to do it. He couldn't risk messing everything up more then he already had. "I just don't feel like it was the right decision."

"That's because you are hurting over her departure, but trust me when I say this. Letting her go was the right thing to do." Godric nodded his sentiment and sat back on the couch with his hands tucked under his arms and a distracted look on his face. He was silent for a moment before he opened his mouth and cryptically said. "Besides, she is needed elsewhere."

"What do you mean she is needed? Needed for what?" Eric snapped, glaring at his maker but he was dismayed to find that the image was starting to fade away. "Oh no you don't, you don't get to drop a bomb like that and then disappear in a poof. Tell me what you mean by that!"

"I'm sorry my child. I have no more time left. I must go." Godric lifted his hand and waved before he did completely fade away and left Eric alone again to stare at the spot where he had been and scratch his head over this new dilemma.

"What the hell did he mean by she was needed somewhere else?"

* * *

_2 days later_

"I think we're done for the night." Sookie exclaimed, adjusting the pile of clothes she had just folded and put into the suitcase and shut the lid and pushed it away with her foot while she turned to look at Sam and Allison on the opposite side of the room doing their own thing. "How about a break?"

"Let's do it." Sam agreed and held out his hand to help Allison up from the floor and together the three of them walked down the hallway to the stairs to gather in the kitchen for a well needed break. As they walked in silence, Sookie couldn't stop the thoughts they went through her head as she relived the last few days and more currently the last few hours.

After Allison had returned from Eric's house earlier that week, she had been on edge and prone to bouts of sadness which meant that Sookie had to call in Sam once more to help her cousin through this small rough patch. But after she had sulked for a little while, Allison had gotten very business like and started making a list of everything she had to do before she left tomorrow. Sam helped with the more mechanical and logical stuff like making sure everything was running perfectly in Allison's car and checking to make sure she had a spare tire and her first aid kit and insurance card in the glove compartment. He had taken her car to get washed and vacuumed even though Allison told him not to, and made sure that all the tires were in perfect condition. And then it actually came down to packing clothes and toiletries and everything else Allison would need. Sookie and Allison took care of the clothes and bathroom things while Sam made sure she was organized with a folder full of important paperwork to have like her social security card and birth certificate and health insurance papers. It was a long process that took up a better part of the day but no one minded. It was some of the last time they would spend with her and they didn't care what they did in that time, just as long as they were together.

"I'm going to miss this." Sam said as they all sat around the kitchen table while Sookie went to get them all a glass of ice tea. "I always assumed I could walk over here any night of the week and both of you would always be here to talk to. It's sad to think that won't happen anymore."

"I will miss it too." Sookie agreed, setting the glasses down on the table before taking a seat next to Allison. "But it can't be helped now."

"Don't make me feel bad for leaving, because it is already hard enough." Allie grumbled, taking a sip of her tea while she twirled her hair around her fingers. "But I will miss moments like this. That's the hardest part."

"Are you sure this is something you definitely want to do?" Sookie asked, looking at her cousin as the thought hit her and she needed to make sure this was the right decision. "I mean, you can still change your mind."

"Yea, no one will give you a hard time if you want to stay." Sam piped up, raising his eyebrows in encouragement and Sookie wanted to laugh but she didn't.

"We've gone over this more then just a few times. And I know you both have concerns that I am just doing this because of the heat of the moment but I am telling you, no I am assuring you that I am certain about this." Allison announced to them, clenching her hands on the table top just as the back door opened and the three of them sat back in surprise when it was Bill who entered the kitchen.

"Bill what are you doing here?" Sookie exclaimed, jumping up to hug her fiancee who smiled at her and squeezed her waist with his arm.

"Well I knew Allison was leaving tomorrow and this was the only time for me to say goodbye." Bill said, turning his attention to the brunette who had stood up with a smile of her own. Bill opened his arms and Allie went to hug him which only further served to sadden Sookie's mood. Bill whispered something in Allie's ear that no one else heard but it made Allison smile. When they parted, Bill looked at Sookie and said, "Can I talk to you outside for a second?"

"Yea sure. I'll be right back." Sookie told Sam and Allie who both nodded before turning their attention to each other while she followed Bill out on to the back porch and shut the door tightly. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing, you just looked sad and in desperate need of being pulled away." Bill stated, reaching for her and she went into his arms willingly, knowing she would feel better in his embrace. As she settled her head on his chest, she did feel the calmness starting to take over. Bill's hand began combing through her hair as he spoke. "Are you ok?"

"Not really but I am trying to keep up a smile for Allie's sake." Sookie sighed, closing her eyes as she held him close. "This really sucks."

"I know, and if there was anyway to change her mind then I would do it, but she is determined to go so we might as well support it." Bill replied, tightening his arms around her while he chuckled. "Look at it this way. We can always tempt her back when we set a wedding date. You know she would never miss that."

"You are so bad, but I like the way you think." Sookie grinned and tilted her head back to look him in the eye. "Thanks for coming by, I know it meant a lot to Allie."

"She will be my family when we get married so of course I will come say goodbye." Bill told her, kissing her lips gently before grinning. "And it's not really good bye. She will come back."

"Yea. Someday."

* * *

_A few hours later_

"So...this is it." Sookie said to me as we sat side by side on the couch with the TV blaring in front of us that neither of us was watching. She turned to look at me as she propped her feet up on the coffee table and said. "You're actually leaving tomorrow."

"Yea, scary huh?" I replied, crossing my arms as I watched her face for a few seconds. She had been pretty neutral all night since the men had left and it was only now that she was showing any kind of emotion related to me leaving. I reached over and took her hand. "Are you ok?"

"I'm just scared of this new chapter in our lives." She admitted with a shaky sigh. "We never had this huge chunk of time between when we saw each other again the entire time we were growing up. And now you are leaving. Not forever, but for a while and that worries me. I'm scared of what it will be like without you."

"Just remember it won't be like we are going to be apart for too long. We will be together again and the time apart will be good for us too." I told her, using the same words that I had used on Eric because it had seemed to fit. "I promise you that I have no plans on staying away. This is my home and I have every intention of coming back to it."

"You better, or else I will kick your ass." Sookie laughed, a smile finding its way to her face and she got up and moved across the couch so we were closer. "And do not get into trouble while you are away. There has been enough trouble these past few years and I don't want you creating more."

"I do not plan on seeking trouble when I am away from my family and friends who can't immediately jump to my aid. So no worries." I assured her as she and I interlocked our arms together and focused on the TV. "And don't get married without telling me, no matter what the circumstances."

"That's funny, Bill had joked that we could tempt you back by using the wedding as an excuse." Sookie laughed, the tension leaving her face and body and she began to relax. "But I won't do that. You will be the first person I call when we finally decide."

"Good. Because we are family and family does not miss important events like this." I told her with a grin as we both looked ahead at the screen and fell into our own thoughts.

This was going to be much harder then I thought it would be. I had always taken for granted that my close bond with Sookie was going to be beneficial in every way possible. But this time, our closeness was going to be detrimental because it was going to hurt when we finally did part. It was like ripping off a limb and expecting your life to go on as normally as it did before only for the harshness of reality to set in and you realize things won't be as easy as you hoped they would be. I didn't like seeing Sookie hurting and I would give anything to make this easier on her. But the only way to do that was to just stay and I knew I couldn't do that. I loved Sookie, but I also had to think of myself first. I had to take care of me and if what I needed was to go away for a while then that's what I would do. And I would be back. Not tomorrow, or next week or even next month. But I would be back. And I will be all the better for it.

And maybe then things will have changed.

* * *

_The next morning_

"That's the last of it." I said out loud as I shoved the last bag of clothes into the backseat of my car and turned around to face the two people I cared about most in the world, Sam and Sookie. They both had tight, tense looks on their faces and occasionally they wouldn't look at me and just stared down at their shoes. It was ok because I was doing the same thing because I wasn't really too good at the good bye thing.

After Sookie and I had talked last night, we had fallen asleep on the couch together and were woken up by Sam whacking us in the head with a bag of muffins. He had come by with breakfast and coffee and to help pack my car and say the final goodbyes. I was glad he was here because when I finally did get behind the wheel and drive away, I wanted to leave knowing Sookie wasn't going to be alone in the moments right after. It was mid morning and Bill wasn't going to be able to show up for a long time and I hated to think that she would be alone. But Sam assured me he would stay with Sookie and watch out for her as long as she needed and I was grateful. We hadn't talk much while we were eating and it was obvious why, we were all thinking of what was going to come after we finished eating. And maybe we all thought if we didn't speak then somehow the moment would be delayed and no one would have to face any pain. But the meal came to an end and eventually we all had to start moving. I went up stairs with Sookie so we could get dressed while Sam cleaned up down in the kitchen. And then we all met in the sitting room where a lot of my stuff had been stored so we wouldn't have to go up and down the staircase when it came time to pack the car. And that's when we started picking things up and bringing them out to the car. It hadn't taken long since there was three of us doing it and now we were faced with the task of saying the hardest goodbye we ever had to make.

"Oh don't start crying again or else I might finally start." Sam joked, stepping forward to be the one to make the first move and he quickly wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me tight to his broad chest while his chin rested on top of my head. "Can I say something without getting too mushy?"

"Oh I don't care how mushy it is. Just say it." I told him, my arms wrapped around his waist as I held him just as tightly as he was holding me. I would definitely miss him very much. As crazy as things had been between us, he was still my best friend and it would hurt to be apart from him. "Go ahead. Say whatever it is."

"You know how much I love you and I'm always going to love you even if we always just remain friends." He laughed quietly into my ear, his warm breath tickling me. "But just know that if you ever need anything, you call me, day or night. Whenever you want. Cause I will always be here for you. I love you so much and I just want you to know that."

"I love you too Sam." I whispered back, fighting the urge to cry and just stood up on my toes and kissed his cheek to which he smiled and winked before stepping aside just in time for Sookie to swoop in and grab me up in a hug. I could feel her shaking as we wrapped out arms around each other and it wouldn't be long till she fell apart and I would surely follow. "Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry."

"I won't if you won't." She sniffed, her chin on my shoulder as she clutched at me tightly. "If you cry then I will definitely cry and then I may never let you go. So save your tears."

"I will if you will." I replied back, biting on my lower lip to keep my promise and I squeezed her as tight as I could manage without hurting her. I so badly wanted to cry right now but I knew I couldn't. I would do it when I was alone but not now. "You will stay in touch right? We'll talk all the time?"

"Of course. You don't have a choice in the matter." Sookie chided, pulling back so we could look at each other. She touched my face with her fingers and said. "You will stay out of trouble right? I was serious about that."

"I promise you I will." I nodded before pulling her back into a hug and squeezing my eyes shut. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"Same here, but you'll back and everything will be ok again." She mumbled, sniffling some more before she pulled back for good and motioned to the car just as her eyes started to well up. "Now go before I try and keep you here."

"Ok." I nodded, wiping at my eyes as I pulled out my keys and backed away towards the open driver's side door while Sookie went to stand beside Sam and they both waved at me as I got in and slammed the door shut. I leaned out the window and shouted. "I love you guys."

"We love you more." They screamed back, their faces starting to crumble and Sookie's cheeks were starting to shine with tears. I had to look away and turn the key in the ignition before I too fell apart. I put on my seat belt and made sure I had my cell phone in the cup holder at my side before I put the car into drive and started moving away from the house. I watched the image of Sam and Sookie watching me as I drove away and I nearly sobbed when she leaned into his arm and started crying. I forced myself to tear my eyes away from the mirror and focus on the road as I pulled out of our driveway and started driving down the old dirt road that would eventually lead out of Bon Temps and hit the open highway. So that's what I did. I kept to that road inside of taking the back roads I would normally take when I was going out of town. Those back roads had all kinds of memories attached to them that I did not need reminding of.

I had been driving for only a few minutes when it occurred to me that I never did decide where I would end up when I had said I wanted to leave. I needed a destination if I was hoping to restart a life somewhere else. So I pulled off to the side of the road onto a graveled shoulder and leaned over to the glove compartment and pulled out the book of maps that Sam had bought for me and opened it to a random page to see if anything sounded appealing to me.

I was just going to be spontaneous and decide my destination just if I liked the sound of the city. But as I flipped through the pages, nothing appealed to me and I was wondering if I should just drive out of state and when I was in a hotel then I could decide. I was just going to shut the covers and put it away when a gust of wind blew through the open window and flipped a few pages over before going still. I almost continued to shut it but something told me to look down at the page and I did. I was just studying it when a name of a quaint little town jumped into my line of vision and I was struck with this heavy sense that this was where I should be heading. Satisfied that I decided where I would end up, I shoved the map book back in my glove compartment and flipped on the radio just as I pulled back on the road. I rolled the windows further down so the wind caught my long hair and blew it back from my face. I had to smile. Things were going to be ok. I just knew they were. I would use this time away to keep to myself and figure things out. It was all going to be ok. I was certain of that. I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I turned onto the high way and said to myself.

"Watch out. Here I come...Mystic Falls."

**The end...or is it?**


	36. The new beginning

**A/N:**

**THE SEQUEL IS HERE!**

**Thank you all again for reading the original fic. Im glad you all seemed to like it so much and all the interest in this fic has flamed my inspiration for the next one. so ****yes i am back sooner then i planned with the sequel. I just couldn't stay away. My inspiration took over and forced me to write...please go to my page and read the first chapter of the sequel entitled: The Resurrection**

**THanks again and please review**


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